Zarina Wahab

Zarina Wahab Biography

Zarina Wahab is a former model and actress of Malayalam and Bollywood movies of late 70’s and early 80’s. She has acted in a few Telugu and Tamil movies also. Her husband Aditya Pancholi is a Bollywood actor and their son Suraj Pancholi is now a days in news, with the unfortunate suicide of Jiah Khan, a Bollywood actress.

Zarina Wahab is noted for off-beat movies, both Bollywood and Malayalam movies and she has given least importance to commercial movies. Her Hindi movies – Chitchor and Gharonda opposite Amol Palekar and Gopal Krishna opposite Sachin during late 70’s were well noted. Songs like ‘Gori tere gao’ and ‘Tu jo mere sur mein’ of Chitchor were most noticed for the beauty of Zarina as a village girl. She got a Filmfare nomination too. She has proved her talent in Malayalam movies also and she was casted in less-commercial movies like Chamaram and Paalangal opposite Nedumudi Venu and opposite Kamal Hassan in Madanolsavam, music given by Salil Chaudary. She did the role of heroine of Oscar nominated Malayalam movie ‘Aadaminte makan abu’ opposite Salim Kumar, for which he got both state and national awards. Other notable movies include Parasparam, Enthinu pookkunna pookkal, Naayattu, Ammakkorumma, Sara varsham, Veedu, Parasparam, Punnarum cholli cholli, Choodatha pookkal and Aagathan. Playback singer Janaki became her voice and has given her many hit songs like ‘Nirangal than nritham’ of Parasparam, ‘Naada nee varum kaalocha’ of Chamaran and ‘Etho janma kalpanayil’ of Paalangal.

Her Hindi movies include Chitchor, Gharonda, Naina, Saawan ko aane do, Dehleez, Maine jeena seek liya hai, Roohi, Aakri Mujra, Tumhare liye, Haste Khelthe, Salaam Memsaab, Hum Nau jawan, Adhikaar, Ek aur ek gyarah, Dard-E-Dil, Toofan and lal chunariya. Her come back movies include Kisna, Viswaroopam, My name is Khan, Raktha Charitra, U me aur Main and Agneepath.  

Born in Andra Pardesh, she was fluent in 4 languages and she completed her acting studying course in FTII, Pune. Her first Hindi movies are Anokha and Ishq Ishq Ishq of 1975. She was most commonly placed as middle class lady, wearing traditional sari in most of her movies. She married Aditya Pancholi in 1986 and couple has two kids. 

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Updated: July 05, 2018