Ratna Pathak Shah (born 7 August 1957) is an Indian actress and director known for her work in Hindi theatre, television, and films. Her extensive work in theatre includes a series of plays in both English and Hindi. She rose to prominence when she appeared in the hit TV serial Idhar Udhar in the 1980s.
She garnered widespread recognition and acclaim with her portrayal of Maya Sarabhai, a snobbish socialite in the cult sitcom Sarabhai vs Sarabhai (2004–2006). Her other prominent roles 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 black-comedy Lipstick Under My Burkha (2017) and the road adventure drama Dhak Dhak (2023), all of which earned her nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also received critical acclaim for her performances in the romantic comedies Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu (2012) and Khoobsurat (2014). Her performance in Amazon Prime Video's anthology film Unpaused (2020) earned her a nomination for the Filmfare OTT Award for Best Actress in a Web Original Film.
Daughter of actress Dina Pathak, she married actor Naseeruddin Shah in 1982, with whom she has two sons. Her sister is actress Supriya Pathak, who is married to actor Pankaj Kapur.
Early life Ratna Pathak was born on 7 August 1957 in Bombay, in the Bombay State (now Mumbai, Maharashtra) of India, into a Hindu family to a Punjabi father, Baldev Pathak and a Gujarati mother, Dina Pathak (née Gandhi), from Amreli in Kathiawar. She is the sister of actress, Supriya Pathak.
Pathak grew up in the Parsi Colony of Dadar with her sister, and is an alumna of the J. B. Vachha High School and the 1981 batch of the National School of Drama in New Delhi.
Career As well as appearing in many successful films, including Mirch Masala, Ratna Pathak appeared as the wife in The Perfect Murder.
She also acted in the cult sitcom Sarabhai vs Sarabhai where she played Maya Sarabhai, a high society socialite, for which she received the ITA Award for Best Actress – Comedy in 2005.
In July 2008 she appeared in the coming-of-age romantic comedy Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na as the mother of the protagonist. Naseeruddin Shah played her husband, as a deceased character who talks to her from a portrait. She has also acted in several Russian plays, as well as co-founding and being an active member of "Motley Theatre Group". She appeared in the action comedy Golmaal 3 opposite Mithun Chakraborty. She was a part of the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan Selection Committee for 2012 Awards. Ratna Pathak Shah, who has appeared in many successful Hindi films, will star in her first Gujarati movie “”.
Personal life
Pathak married Naseeruddin Shah in 1982. They have two sons together, Imaad and Vivaan Shah. Naseeruddin also has a daughter, Heeba Shah, from his first marriage.
Filmography Film Hindi
Year Film Role Notes 1983 Mandi Malti Devi Debut 1987 Mirch Masala Pallavi 1989 Jazeere Mrs. Rita Mascarenhas 2002 Encounter Sudha Rao 2005 Paheli Voiceover 2006 Yun Hota Toh Kya Hota Tara Shankarnarayanan 2008 Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na Savitri Rathod Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress 2009 Aladin Marjina 2010 Golmaal 3 Geeta Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress 2012 Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu Seema Kapoor 2014 Khoobsurat Nirmala Devi 2016 Kapoor & Sons Sunita Kapoor Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress 2016 Nil Battey Sannata Dr. Reena Deewan 2017 Lipstick Under My Burkha Usha Makhija Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress2017 Mubarakan Arshveer/Jeeto Kaur Bajwa 2018 Love per Square Foot Blossom D'Souza 2020Thappad Sandhya Unpaused Uma Raja Maheshwari OTT filmNominated—Filmfare OTT Award for Best Actress in a Web Original Film2021 Hum Do Hamare Do Deepti Kashyap Hotstar film2022Attack: Part 1 Shanti Shergill Jayeshbhai Jordaar Jashoda 2023 Dhak Dhak Manpreet Kaur Sethi "Mahi" Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress2025Detective Sherdil Rajeshwari Bhatti
English Year Film Role 1983 Heat and Dust Ritu Verma 1988 The Perfect Murder Pratima Ghote 1995 Mr. Ahmed Amma 2011 The Coffin Maker Isabella
Gujarati Year Film Role Note 2023 Kutch Express BaijiDebut 2025 Bachu Ni Benpani Suman Gauri Nagar "Simmi"
Television Year (s) Show Character Notes 1985–1998 Idhar Udhar Sunita 1988 Bharat Ek Khoj Lakshmibai Episode 42-43 1857 1993–1995 Filmi Chakkar Rukmani 1993–1997 Tara Kanchan 1996 Mast Mast Hai Zindagi Kalpana 1997 Movers & Shakers Herself Guest appearance 1999 Gubbare Ms. Gupta Episode 6: Jhooth 2000 Apna Apna Style Suman 2004–2006 Sarabhai vs Sarabhai Maya Sarabhai 2012 The Late Night Show Jitna Rangeen Utna Sangeen Herself Guest appearance 2017 Sarabhai vs Sarabhai: Take 2 Maya Sarabhai 2018 Selection Day Nellie 2023 Trial By Fire Mrs. Bedi Happy Family: Conditions Apply Hemlata Mansukhlal Dholakia Charlie Chopra Ms. Bharucha
Awards and nominations Television AwardsYearShowAwardCategoryResultRef.2005Sarabhai vs SarabhaiIndian Telly AwardsBest Actress in a Comic Role2006Indian Television Academy AwardsBest Actress – Comedy2023Happy Family: Conditions Apply2023 Filmfare OTT AwardsBest Actress in a Comedy Series Film Awards Year Film Award Category ResultRef.2009Jaane Tu Ya Jaane NaScreen AwardsBest Supporting ActressFilmfare Awards Best Supporting Actress2011Golmaal 3Screen AwardsBest Supporting ActressZee Cine AwardsBest Actor in a Supporting Role – FemaleProducers Guild AwardsBest Actress in a Supporting RoleInternational Indian Film Academy AwardsBest Supporting Actress2017Kapoor & Sons (Since 1921)Stardust AwardsBest Supporting ActressFilmfare AwardsBest Supporting ActressZee Cine AwardsBest Actor in a Supporting Role – FemaleNil Battey SannataLipstick Under My BurkhaLondon Asian Film FestivalStandout PerformanceIndian Film Festival of MelbourneBest Actress2018Zee Cine AwardsBest Actor in a Supporting Role – FemaleFilmfare AwardsBest Supporting Actress2021UnpausedFilmfare OTT AwardsBest Actress in a Web Original Film2024Dhak Dhak69th Filmfare AwardsFilmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress
References
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