Saba Azad (born Saba Singh Grewal, 1 November 1985) is an Indian actress, theatre director and musician. She made her Bollywood debut as one of the leads Raaga in the indie film Dil Kabaddi (2008).[3] She is known for her leading role in the romantic comedy film Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge (2011).[4] She also played the role of Dingo in the 2016 Y-Films web series, Ladies Room. She is one half of the Mumbai-based electronic band duo Madboy/Mink.
Early life
Azad was born in Delhi to a Punjabi Sikh father and a Muslim mother with ancestries from Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.[5] In an interview, she said that she had a multicultural upbringing.[5] She is the niece of theatre great Safdar Hashmi.[6] Azad performed with Safdar Hashmi's theatre group Jana Natya Manch in their stage productions since a very young age, where she worked with Habib Tanvir, MK Raina, GP Deshpande and NK Sharma.[7] She is trained in Odissi and other dance forms.[8] Travelling with her Odissi guru, Kiran Segal, she performed in and outside the country including England, Canada and Nepal.[6] Her stint with cinema started after schooling when she landed a lead role in a short film Guroor for director Ishaan Nair which travelled to festivals in New York and Florence.[3]
Career
Saleem with Saba Azad at the premier of Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge, 2011.
Azad is a musician and singer in the Indian indie electronic band Madboy/Mink which she started with actor and musician Imaad Shah in 2012.[10][11]
Azad started her own theatre company The Skins in 2010 and directed her first play Lovepuke which opened at NCPA's experimental theatre in September 2010.[12]
Azad moved to Mumbai from Delhi and acted in a two-man play directed by Makarand Deshpande staged at Prithvi Theatre.[13]
Azad was in a live-in relationship with Imaad Shah from 2013 to 2020. However they remain friends after their break-up and make music together for their band Mad Boy Mink.[14][15]
