Ratna Pathak Shah

Ratna Pathak Shah (born Ratna Pathak on 18 March 1957 in Mumbai, India) is a renowned Indian actress and director celebrated for her versatile work in Hindi theatre, television, and films.

Daughter of veteran actress Dina Pathak and sister of acclaimed actress Supriya Pathak, she grew up in a family deeply rooted in Indian performing arts. She studied at J.B. Vachha High School in Mumbai and later trained at the National School of Drama in Delhi.

Full Name	Ratna Pathak Shah
Occupation	Actress
Date of Birth	18-March-1957 (69 years)
Birth Location	Bombay, Bombay State, India
Gender	Female
Nationality	Indian
Religion	Hindu
Zodiac Sign	Pisces
Height	163 cm
Weight	57 kg
Eye Colour	Black
Hair Colour	Black
School	J.B Vachha High School
College	National School of Drama, Delhi
Qualification	Graduate
Hobbies	Traveling,

Ratna Pathak Shah began her career in theatre during the 1970s and 1980s, acting in numerous English and Hindi plays and co-founding the Motley Theatre Group alongside her husband, actor Naseeruddin Shah, whom she married in 1982.

She also acted in several Russian plays, broadening her theatrical repertoire. Her film debut came in 1983 with Shyam Benegal's critically acclaimed "Mandi," for which she immediately won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress, a remarkable achievement in her very first film.

She rose to prominence in television with the hit 1980s serial "Idhar Udhar," which became her breakthrough role. She garnered widespread recognition and enduring acclaim for portraying Maya Sarabhai, a snobbish socialite, in the cult sitcom "Sarabhai vs Sarabhai" (2004–2006), winning the ITA Award for Best Actress in a Comedy for this role.

Her television work firmly established her as a master of comedic timing and character acting.

In cinema, she refused to be typecast in conventional heroine roles, instead honing skills that redefined how Indian women are portrayed in Bollywood. Her notable film performances include the coming-of-age romantic comedy "Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na" (2008), the action comedy "Golmaal 3" (2010), the family comedy-drama "Kapoor & Sons" (2016), the bold black-comedy "Lipstick Under My Burkha" (2017), and the road adventure drama "Dhak Dhak" (2023).

She also received critical acclaim for her roles in the romantic comedies "Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu" (2012) and "Khoobsurat" (2014). These performances earned her multiple nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Beyond acting, she has directed theatre productions and contributed to Indian performing arts as a director, continuing her family's legacy in the field. She and Naseeruddin Shah have two sons together.

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