Ratna Pathak
Also recorded as Ratna Pathak Shah
Ratna Pathak

Nizil Shah · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Born
- 1963 · Mumbai.
- Nationality
- India
- Occupation
- actress
- Education
- National School of Drama
- Languages
- Hindi
In this article
Key facts
• Name — Ratna Pathak Shah • Born — 1957 08 07 • Birthplace — Bombay, Bombay State, India • Education — National School of Drama • Occupation — Actress • Years Active — 1983–present • Children — 2 (Imaad and Vivaan) • Mother — Dina Pathak • Relatives — Pathak-Shah family • Awards — Full list 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 “1=Kutch Express Gujarati Movie”.
Personal life
• Illustration — Ratna Pathak with husband Naseeruddin Shah, 2012 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.
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 Actress • 2017 — Mubarakan — Arshveer/Jeeto Kaur Bajwa • 2018 — Love per Square Foot — Blossom D'Souza • 2020 — Thappad — Sandhya • Unpaused — Uma Raja Maheshwari — OTT film Nominated—Filmfare OTT Award for Best Actress in a Web Original Film • 2021 — Hum Do Hamare Do — Deepti Kashyap — Hotstar film • 2022 — Attack: Part 1 — Shanti Shergill • Jayeshbhai Jordaar — Jashoda • 2023 — Dhak Dhak — Manpreet Kaur Sethi "Mahi" — Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress • 2025 — Detective 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 — Baiji — Debut • 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
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Ratna Pathak Shah, revision 1373722729 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Awards and nominations
• Television Awards • Year — Show — Award — Category — Result — Ref. • 2005 — Sarabhai vs Sarabhai — Indian Telly Awards — Best Actress in a Comic Role • 2006 — Indian Television Academy Awards — Best Actress – Comedy • 2023 — Happy Family: Conditions Apply — 2023 Filmfare OTT Awards — Best Actress in a Comedy Series • Film Awards • Year — Film — Award — Category — Result — Ref. • 2009 — Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na — Screen Awards — Best Supporting Actress • Filmfare Awards — Best Supporting Actress • 2011 — Golmaal 3 • Screen Awards — Best Supporting Actress • Zee Cine Awards — Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Female • Producers Guild Awards — Best Actress in a Supporting Role • International Indian Film Academy Awards — Best Supporting Actress • 2017 — Kapoor & Sons (Since 1921) • Stardust Awards — Best Supporting Actress • Filmfare Awards — Best Supporting Actress • Zee Cine Awards — Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Female • Nil Battey Sannata • Lipstick Under My Burkha — London Asian Film Festival — Standout Performance • Indian Film Festival of Melbourne — Best Actress • 2018 — Zee Cine Awards — Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Female • Filmfare Awards — Best Supporting Actress • 2021 — Unpaused — Filmfare OTT Awards — Best Actress in a Web Original Film • 2024 — Dhak Dhak — 69th Filmfare Awards — Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress

National School of Drama Delhi celebrated 50th Anniversary of its formation in January 2008 and simultaneously Tenth theatre Utsav (Festival), Bharat Rang Mahotsav, was organized. Here is a photo of Ratna Pathak taken during the festival.
Ramesh Lalwani

Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak at 'Gangs Of Wasseypur' screening
Bollywood Hungama · http
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