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Zaira Wasim

Zaira Wasim snapped on sets of Rajeev Masand’s show (04)
Zaira Wasim snapped on sets of Rajeev Masand’s show (04) Image: Wikimedia Commons. Bollywood Hungama / CC BY 3.0

Zaira Wasim (born 23 October 2000) is an Indian former actress who worked in Hindi films. During her brief career, she received several major honours, including a National Film Award and a Filmfare Award, and was conferred the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (formerly the National Child Award for Exceptional Achievement) in 2017.

Key facts

Full name Zaira Wasim
Date of birth 23 October 2000
Nationality Indian
Occupation Former actress
Industry Hindi cinema
Years active 2016–2019
Debut film Dangal (2016)
Final film The Sky Is Pink (2019)
Notable honours National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress; Filmfare Award for Best Actress (Critics); Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (2017)

Career

Debut in Dangal (2016)

Wasim made her film debut as the young Geeta Phogat in the biographical sports drama Dangal, produced by Aamir Khan Productions. The film became the highest-grossing Indian film, with worldwide earnings of more than ₹2,000 crore (about US$300 million). Her performance earned her the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Secret Superstar (2017)

Wasim followed her debut with a leading role in the musical drama Secret Superstar, also backed by Aamir Khan Productions, in which she played an aspiring singer. The film went on to become the highest-grossing Indian film with a female protagonist, and her performance won her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress (Critics).

The Sky Is Pink (2019) and retirement

Her final screen appearance was in The Sky Is Pink (2019), for which she received a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress. Later in 2019, Wasim announced her retirement from the film industry.

Recognition

In 2017, Wasim was honoured with the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, a national award given by the Government of India to children for exceptional achievement, formerly known as the National Child Award for Exceptional Achievement.

Significance

Although her acting career spanned only three films, Wasim's work in Dangal and Secret Superstar—both among the most commercially successful Indian films of their time—earned her wide critical recognition and some of Indian cinema's leading awards while she was still a teenager.

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
2016 Dangal Young Geeta Phogat National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress
2017 Secret Superstar Insia Malik (aspiring singer) Filmfare Award for Best Actress (Critics)
2019 The Sky Is Pink Supporting role Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress

References