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.
| 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) |
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
| 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 |