Nilima Azeem

🪔 About

Neelima Azeem, born on December 2, 1958, is an accomplished Indian actress, writer, and classical Kathak dancer. She was born in Delhi to Anwar Azeem, a journalist and Urdu author, and Khadija, a relative of Khwaja Ahmad Abbas. Azeem received extensive training in the Kathak form of Indian classical dance under the tutelage of legendary gurus Pandit Birju Maharaj and Munna Shukla. Her dedication to Kathak began at a young age, around 10 years old. By the age of 14, she represented Kathak for the release of postage stamps as part of the Indian Dance series. She commenced her solo performances at 15 and was crowned the 'Princess of Kathak' at 17, subsequently traveling globally for performances. Throughout her career, Azeem has maintained her passion for Kathak, continuing her dance practice even during hiatuses from acting. She credits dance for instilling in her grace, posture, expression, and confidence, which also aided her acting career. She performed at the PanchTatva annual Kathak festival in Mumbai in 2014, organized by Birju Maharaj's Kalashram. Her last documented performance with her guru, Birju Maharaj, was in Delhi in 2019. Beyond her classical dance career, Neelima Azeem is also a well-known Bollywood actress, recognized for her roles in television shows and films, and is the mother of actors Shahid Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter. Awards & Honours: Princess of Kathak (1975).