From the 90s era, Tabu is one of the handful of actors who have tried their hand at complex, critical roles.

In the 90s, when it came to stardom, female actors, the industry, and fans mostly revolved around names such as Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Sonali Bendre, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, and a few others. However, Tabassum Fatima Hashmi, popularly known as Tabu, wasn’t part of this group despite starring in multiple commercial films. But she was also one of the few female actors from that era to try her hand at complex, critical roles.

Her filmography comprises movies that questioned life, society, and the system, and in our book of thoughts, she nailed those complex roles, putting herself in a different league of acting.

As the actor turns 54 this November, we take a look at Tabu’s critically acclaimed filmography—films you must watch if you are a cinephile, and even if you are not, they would be an ideal place to start,  a step away from the commercial masala brain rot.

Maachis

(Credit- The Indian Express)

For Tabu, the step away from commercial cinema began with Maachis, one of the finest works by Gulzar, who wrote and directed the film. Set against the sensitive backdrop of the peak of the Punjab insurgency, the film showcased Tabu's life as a woman in those times and how she gets entangled in political affairs, depicting the lives of several women who were wronged in some way in that era.

Astitva

(Credit- Times Now News)

On screen, Mahesh Manjrekar is often seen doing negative roles, but behind the camera, his work demands more praise. Astitva was one such film in which Mahesh Manjrekar showed how society treats women, with Tabu in the driving seat. From questioning women’s hobbies to judging one’s character simply because of friendship with the opposite sex, the film was a tight slap on the faces of those with an orthodox mindset. Unfortunately, 25 years later, such a mindset still exists.

Chandni Bar

(Credit- OTTPlay)

A crim*nal husband who is no longer alive, tonnes of debt and an uneducated mother living in a slum who has to feed two mouths – that’s the story of Tabu in Chandni Bar. The film depicts the lives of lakhs of women who live this life every day and are involved in morally questionable professions. However, at the end of the day, they do what they do just to have two meals or educate their children. The film makes us realise we live far from the dark realities of this world.

Maqbool

(Credit- Hindustan Times)

Vishal Bharadwaj is known for adapting Shakespeare’s works, and Maqbool is probably one of the best adaptations of Macbeth. Although the characters were slightly twisted, Tabu portrayed Lady Macbeth, compelling the late Irrfan Khan’s character into sinister deeds. Tabu played the manipulative character and stole the limelight amidst legendary actors like Irrfan Khan, Piyush Mishra, Pankaj Kapoor, Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, and Deepak Dobriyal.

Haider

(Credit-IMDb)

Finally, Haider is another impressive work by Tabu that proves she has aged like a fine wine and, in the process, honed her acting skills. Unlike the above films, Haider needs no introduction, given its immense success. Vishal Bharadwaj, as always, did brilliantly with Haider, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.