Zarin Shihab

Zarin Shihab
Born (1994-08-15) 15 August 1994 (age 30)
Uttar Pradesh, India[1]
OccupationActress
Years active2019–present
AwardsKerala Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress[2]

Zarin Shihab (born 15 August 1994) is an Indian actress who appears in Malayalam films.[1][3] She is known for her breakout role in the 2019 spy thriller series The Family Man,[4] where she played Sahaya Mary, a nurse crucial to the show's plot.[1][5]

Born in Uttar Pradesh and a graduate from IIT Madras Zarin Shihab made her screen debut with The Family Man. In 2023, Zarin made her entry into Malayalam cinema through the film Trishanku (2023) and has since started in the films B 32 Muthal 44 Vare (2023) and Aattam (2024).[6][7] She is a recipient of Kerala Film Critics Association Awards for Best Actress for Aattam.

Early life

Originally a native of Kerala, Zarin was born in Uttar Pradesh and later moved to states like Assam, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu due to her father's job in the air force.[4] Hindi was the first language she learned to read and write. She enrolled in the IIT Madras for a five-year-long integrated program in MA English, furthering their passion for language and literature and later spent seven years in Chennai for acting, writing, and directing plays.[1][8] During her college days, Zarin was actively involved in theatre and participated in short films. She herself pursued theatre for seven years.[5][4]

Career

Zarin Shihab made her screen debut with the 2019 hindi spy thriller series The Family Man. The series was streamed in Amazon prime and she gaining significant attention for her portrayal of a Malayali nurse.[4] In 2021, she appeared in the film Rashmi Rocket directed by Akarsh Khurana and in 2022 she was featured in India Lockdown directed by Madhur Bhandarkar. She was then cast in the TV series Jugaadistan.[9]

In 2023, Zarin made her entry into Malayalam cinema through the film Trishanku directed by Achyuth Vinayak, portraying the character Sumi Nair. In the same year, she starred in another Malayalam film B 32 Muthal 44 Vare directed by Shruthi Sharanyam which was produced by the Kerala State Film Development Corporation, where she played the role of Iman. In 2024 she played the female lead character in the Malayalam film Aattam directed by Anand Ekarshi.[1][5] She earned acclaim at film festivals for her performances in the Malayalam films B 32 Muthal 44 Vere and Aattam[10][4] where she depicted characters confronting workplace harassment.[11][12]

Filmography

Films

Key
† Denotes films that have not yet been released
Year Film Role Language Notes Ref
2021 Rashmi Rocket Anushri Hindi Debut [5]
2022 India Lockdown Palak [13]
2023 B 32 Muthal 44 Vare Iman Malayalam First Malayalam language film [13]
2023 Thrishanku Sumi [14]
2024 Aattam Anjali [15]
2025 Ouseppinte Osyath † TBA [16]
TBA Ithiri Neram † [17]

Television

Year Title Role Language Notes Ref
2019 The Family Man Sahaya Mary - Nurse Hindi [8]
2022 Jugaadistan Devika [8]

Accolades

Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2023 Kerala Film Critics Association Awards Best Actress Aattam Won [18]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Karunakaran, Cris, Binu (15 January 2024). "Won't be good portrayal if you judge your character: Actor Zarin Shihab". The News Minute. Retrieved 15 March 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ The Hindu, The Hindu (12 May 2024). "Kerala Film Critics Awards announced, 'Aattam' adjudged best film". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  3. ^ "Zarin Shihab - Biography". IMDb. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e "'ഫാമിലി മാനി'ൽ തുടങ്ങി 'ആട്ടം' വരെ; സറിൻ ഷിഹാബ് അഭിമുഖം". www.manoramaonline.com (in Malayalam). Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d "Zarin Shihab on beautifully conveying significant emotions without explosions in Aattam: 'The most challenging aspects I face…'". The Indian Express. 4 January 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  6. ^ Praveen, S. R. (7 April 2023). "'B 32 Muthal 44 Vare' movie review: A sensitive, nuanced take on body politics". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  7. ^ "Malayalam film Aattam opens the Indian Panorama Feature Film Section at IFFI 54". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  8. ^ a b c Madhu, Vignesh (11 January 2024). "Aatta(m)girl: Never seen a director who's so involved in project, says actor Zarin Shihab". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Zarin Shihab to act in the Malayalam film 'Aattam' | Malayalam Movie News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  10. ^ "'In Mumbai, I was only allowed to audition for south Indian roles': The Family Man & Aattam actor Zarin Shihab". Moneycontrol. 13 January 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  11. ^ Madhu, Vignesh (7 April 2023). "B 32 Muthal 44 Vare review: An insightful take on body politics". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  12. ^ Chandrashekar, Cris, Nandini (13 August 2023). "Making a state-funded film and winning recognition: Shruthi Sharanyam interview". The News Minute. Retrieved 22 March 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ a b "Vinay Forrt to team up with Zarin Shihab for 'Aattam'". The Times of India. 4 April 2022. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  14. ^ Praveen, S. R. (26 May 2023). "'Thrishanku' movie review: This Anna Ben-Arjun Ashokan film is a reasonably fun ride that pokes fun at traditionalists". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  15. ^ Features, C. E. (16 October 2023). "Aattam wins Grand Jury Award for Best Film at Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles". Cinema Express. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  16. ^ "Vijayaraghavan to headline 'Ouseppinte Osyath', shooting progresses". The Times of India. 2 August 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  17. ^ "Roshan Mathew to star in 'Ithiri Neram'". The Times of India. 31 October 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  18. ^ "Kerala Film Critics Awards announced, Aattam adjudged best film". thehindu.com.