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Tanvi Azmi

Tanvi Azmi is an Indian actor, best known for Tamil cinema. Tanvi Azmi began their career in 1985 and has been a prominent figure in the industry for over 41 years. With 30 credits to their name, Tanvi Azmi remains one of the most prolific and celebrated talents in the industry. Spanning 40+ years, Tanvi Azmi's career remains one of the longest and most celebrated in Tamil cinema.

Born
Age
62
30+Known Credits
5.7Avg Rating
veteranCareer Phase

Biography

Tanvi Azmi is a Hindi cinema actress, wife of cinematographer Baba Azmi and sister-in-law of Shabana Azmi, known for portraying emotionally complex maternal and supporting roles across four decades. She won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Kashibai in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Bajirao Mastani (2015), also earning a Guild Film Award for the same performance. Her Malayalam film Vidheyan (1993) and later Thappad (2020) — for which she received a Filmfare nomination — demonstrate her ability to move between mainstream Bollywood and character-driven parallel cinema. Her recent appearances in Tribhanga (2021) and Do Patti (2024) have extended her presence into the OTT era.

Career Milestones

1985

Film debut in Pyari Behna, earning first Filmfare nomination for Best Supporting Actress

1995

Breakthrough role as Farida, earning second Filmfare nomination for Best Supporting Actress

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2016

Won National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for role of Radhabai (shaved head for the role)

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2020

Critical acclaim and Filmfare nomination for Best Supporting Actress

2021

Filmfare OTT nomination for Best Supporting Actress in Netflix original

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Iconic Roles

Radhabai2015

Bajirao Mastani

Bajirao's mother in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's historical epic. Won Tanvi Azmi the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Nayantara Apte2021

Tribhanga

A critically acclaimed Marathi litterateur who slips into a coma, explored through a multi-generational family drama on Netflix directed by Renuka Shahane.

Farida1995

Akele Hum Akele Tum

Supporting role in this Aamir Khan and Manisha Koirala romantic drama, earning her a Filmfare Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Poonam Awasthi1993

Darr

Supporting role in Yash Chopra's psychological thriller starring Shah Rukh Khan, Sunny Deol, and Juhi Chawla.

Bunny's Step-Mother2013

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani

Supporting role in Karan Johar's blockbuster romantic drama starring Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone.

Defining Moments

1993

As Poonam Awasthi, playing the mother of Juhi Chawla's character — her presence in the thriller adds quiet domestic grounding to the film's atmosphere of dread and obsession

Her early supporting work in Yash Chopra's landmark thriller helped establish her as a character actress of note in Hindi mainstream cinema during the 1990s golden era.

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1995

As Farida, the devoted wife abandoned by her husband, her emotional confrontation scenes carry the film's emotional weight alongside Aamir Khan's arc — her quiet suffering and dignity made her character a standout

Earned her a Filmfare Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress and established her as a reliable dramatic actress capable of holding her own against leading stars.

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2015

Radhabai shaves her head (mundan) and stands in opposition to Bajirao's love for Mastani — a silent, devastating assertion of maternal authority and Rajput dharma that requires no dialogue

Won her the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress. She physically shaved her head for the role. Her portrayal of a mother torn between love for her son and adherence to dharma is widely considered one of the finest supporting performances in modern Bollywood.

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2021

As Nayantara Apte — an elderly, senile literary legend at the center of a three-generation story — her fragile yet luminous presence anchors the film's emotional core, particularly in moments where her past is slowly revealed

Her layered performance opposite Kajol was critically acclaimed and earned her a Filmfare OTT Award nomination, cementing her status as one of Indian cinema's most dependable character actors in the streaming era.

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2024

As Maaji — a commanding patriarchal figure whose authority slowly unravels — she delivers a morally complex performance in the whodunit thriller, holding scenes with Kajol and Kriti Sanon

Demonstrated her continued relevance and range in the OTT era, with critics specifically calling out her ability to project menace and vulnerability simultaneously in a genre film.

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The Numbers

Tanvi Azmi by the Numbers

Total Films0
Back-to-back Watch0 day+ 20h
Hit Ratio0%
Yrs Active0
Versatility0/10
Biggest CollaborationAnupam Kher4 films together

If you watched every Tanvi Azmi film back-to-back, you'd be at it for roughly 1 day and 20h. Most-paired with Anupam Kher — 4 films together.

Collaboration Network

Collaboration Network

The Constellation

Top 10 most-paired collaborators. Bubble size and line thickness reflect how many films they share with Tanvi Azmi.

Tanvi Azminfilms togetherSee full filmography →

Career Analytics

Genre Breakdown

Drama
40%
Romance
20%
Comedy
10%
Family
10%
History
10%
Thriller
10%

Language Distribution

Hindi
100%

Films by Decade

2
1980s
2
1990s
3
2000s
8
2010s
4
2020s

Top Co-Actors

See all →

Tanvi Azmi has worked most frequently with Anupam Kher (4 films), Deepika Padukone (3 films), Priyanka Chopra (3 films), Manisha Koirala (2 films), and Sushma (2 films).

Did You Know?

1

Tanvi Azmi is the daughter of veteran Marathi theatre and film actors Usha Kiran and Shankar Bapu Apte.

2

She is married to actor and director Baba Azmi, who is the son of poet Kaifi Azmi and actress Shaukat Azmi.

3

Tanvi Azmi is the sister-in-law of actress and former MP Shabana Azmi.

4

She made her Hindi film debut with the film 'Bazaar' in 1982.

5

She has acted in several Marathi films and television series in addition to her work in Hindi cinema.

Legacy & Influence

Tanvi Azmi, born into the esteemed Samarth family of Indian cinema, has carved a distinct niche for herself as a versatile and powerful character actress. Her career trajectory, spanning from the 1980s to the present, showcases a remarkable evolution from early roles to becoming a sought-after performer for complex, mature characters. Azmi's contribution lies in her ability to bring profound depth, quiet dignity, and emotional authenticity to her portrayals, often as maternal figures or women of strong moral fiber. Her performance as Radhabai, the stern yet loving mother of Bajirao in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Bajirao Mastani' (2015), stands as a career-defining role. She masterfully conveyed the weight of tradition, political acumen, and conflicted maternal love, holding her own in a grand historical epic and earning widespread critical acclaim. This role cemented her status as a go-to actress for roles requiring gravitas and nuanced expression. Earlier in her career, she demonstrated her range in films like 'Diksha' (1991). In more recent years, she has consistently chosen roles that challenge stereotypes, such as in 'Dekh Tamasha Dekh' (2014). Her presence elevates narratives, often providing the emotional core or a voice of reason. Tanvi Azmi's legacy is one of consistent excellence and intelligent role selection. She represents a bridge between the classic acting traditions of her family and contemporary cinema, proving that character roles are not merely supportive but can be pivotal and memorable. Her work has expanded the scope and respect for mature actresses in mainstream and parallel Hindi cinema, inspiring a generation of performers to seek substance over screen time.

Frequently Asked Questions