Lubna Salim

Lubna Salim

Lubna Salim (earlier Siddiqi), born in a theatrefamily and brought up in Mumbai, was ushered onto a theatre stage very early onwhen Kamlakar Sontakke directed HORI with IPTA, Mumbai in 1979 as the youngdaughter of Dhania and Hori.

Growing up with the likes of A.K.Hangal, RohiniHattangady,Shabana Azmi,Arundhati Nag,Farooque Sheikh,Ramesh Talwar ,M.S.Sathyuand Sulabha Arya ,her sensibilities and skills in th
eatre got the best possible schooling .Plays like Lok Katha,Bakri, Aakhri Sawal,Andhe Choohe followed.

Representing Mithibai College as anoutstanding performer in all the Inter Collegiate Theatre Competitions of Mumbaiin late eighties, Lubna won several major awards including the prestigiousCOPWUD, YWCA, INT, MALHAR and the Balraj Sahni Trophy for best performance inIPTA ICDC during her college days.

She later acted in plays like Azar Ka Khwab, Atmakatha,Shyam Rang, Mera Kuch Saman and Collaborators etc. with directors like RameshTalwar,M.S.Sathyu,Dinesh Thakur,Ramu Ramanathan etc.

Lubna formed her own theatre group ESSAYCOMMUNICATIONS with her father Javed Siddiqi, the eminent writer and her husbandSalim Arif, another well known name in theatre and films.The group has actors like Farooque Shaikh,Sonali Bendre,Vaishali Thakkar, SeemaAzmi, Atul Kulkarni,Yashpal Sharma,Harsh Chhaya,Kiran Karmarkar,Anoop Soni andsingers like Bhupinder-Mitaali, Talat Aziz, Jaswinder Singh amongst others whohave performed in various productions so far. Ghalibnaama, a concert comprisingof the letters and poems of Mirza Ghalib, Kharaashein-the scars from riots, acollage on stage of Gulzar’s writings on communal harmony, Kachche Lamhe andPeele Patton Ka Ban a collection of three monologues and Javed Siddiqi’s AapkiSoniya are productions which gave this group a distinct identity as a platformfor meaningful artistic presentations. Shyam Rang is its latest production.
Shyam Benegal’s Bharat Ek Khoj, Kadam, Daamansaw Lubna Salim in roles still remembered .She got critical acclaim as Jijamatain Chatrapati Shivrai. She has also acted in films withKundan Shah and Raman Kumar as a leading lady.

She is also a very popular face on the Adveritising filmworld as a model with major campaigns like Pepsodent, ICICI,Nestle,Ariel etc.

She is currently making waves as Leela Bhabhiin the serial Baa Bahu aur Baby and as Paroma in Ek PacketUmmeed serial on NDTV Imagine.

She won the Star Parivar Awards of 2007, Indian TellyAwards 2008 and Sansui Television Award of 2008 for her role in Baa Bahu aurBaby.