Farida Jalal, a native of New Delhi, started her career in the 1960s, when she won the United Film Producers Talent Hunt sponsored by Filmfare. She usually played the sister or rejected fianc’e of the male lead but almost never the female lead. One of her most critically acclaimed roles is in Bobby where she played the part of the mentally challenged would-be fianc’e of Rishi Kapoor’s Raj. During the 1980s, her roles progressed from sister and girlfriend to aunt, mother, or nani. She is also remembered for her part in Aradhana, in which she plays Rajesh Khanna’s girlfriend, and sings the song “Bagon me bahar hai, kaliyon pe nikhar hai“.
She acted for over 40 years, only taking a break during 1983 and 1990, when she settled in Bangalore.
During the 1990s, Jalal had a part in many major hits in India, among them Raja Hindustani, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Dil To Pagal Hai, Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, for which she won a Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress. She acted in many television serials, such as in the hit sitcom, Dekh Bahi Dekh.
She was grandly acclaimed for her role in the 1994 film Mammo, for which she received the Filmfare Best Performance Award.
Jalal stars in Shararat (Thoda Jadu, Thodi Nazaakat), in which she plays a leading role. The comedy is currently air on the Disney Channel.
In 2005, she co-hosted the 50th Filmfare Awards alongside Saif Ali Khan and Sonali Bendre, in Mumbai. In 2008, she made a special appearance in the Punjabi film Yaariyan. Recently, she appeared in the soap opera Balika Vadhu.
Jalal was married to actor Tabrez Barmavar, who hails from Bhatkal and died in September 2003; they have a son named Yaseen. Farida Jalal though could not get a major break as heroine against any big star except Rajesh Khanna in Aaradhana, but she played the lead role in Jeevan Rekha in which her husband Tabrez was the hero. Pran and Ajit were also in the film. A song of the film ‘Yaar mere, meri baahon me aaja’ by Mohammed Rafi from this film had become popular, and is still popular.
Awards Received By Farida Jalal
- 1972: Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for: Paras (1971)
- 1972: Bengal Film Journalists Association Award for Best Supporting Actress (Hindi) for: Paras (1971)
- 1992: Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for: Henna (1991)
- 1995: Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance for: Mammo (1994)
- 1996: Bengal Film Journalists Association Awards – Best Actress (Hindi), Mammo (1994)
- 1996: Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)
- 2012: Harlem International Film Festival—Best Actress for A Gran Plan(2012)
Films Done By Farida Jalal
- 1967 Taqdeer Geeta (Youngest daughter of Gopal)
- 1968 Baharon ki Manzil
- 1969 Mahal
- 1969 Aradhana Renu Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress
- 1970 Puraskar Reshma
- 1971 Paras Bela Singh Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award
- 1971 BFJA Awards for Best Supporting Actress (Hindi)
- 1973 Heera
- 1973 Achanak Nurse Radha
- 1973 Raja Rani Anita Uncredited
- 1973 Loafer Roopa (Gopinath’s daughter)
- 1974 Naya Din Nai Raat
- 1974 Jeevan Rekha
- 1974 Majboor Renu Khanna Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress
- 1975 Khushboo Kusum’s friend
- 1976 Shaque Mrs. Subramaniam Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress
- 1977 Kasam Khoon Ki Ganga
- 1978 Naya Daur
- 1979 Jurmana Laila Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress
- 1980 Patthar Se Takkar
- 1981 Jwala Daku Sita (Jwala’s sister-in-law)
- 1983 Salam e Mohabbat
- 1987 Pushpaka Vimana Magician’s wife
- 1991 Henna Bibi Gul Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award
- 1992 Paayal Shanti Devi
- 1993 Gardish Lakshmi (Shiva’s mother)
- 1994 Mammo Mehmooda Begum Anwar Ali “Mammo” Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance
- 1995 Andolan
- 1996 Shastra
- 1997 Saat Rang Ke Sapne Yashoda
- 1998 Salaakhen Mother
- 1999 Dil Kya Kare
- 2000 Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai Lily (Rohit’s landlady)
- 2000 Hey Ram Kasturba Gandhi Simultaneously made in Tamil and Hindi
- 2000 Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge Mrs. Oberoi
- 2000 Pukar Gayetri Rajvansh
- 2002 Pyaar Diwana Hota Hai Mrs. Chaudhary
- 2003 Pinjar Mrs. Shyamlal
- 2004 Garv: Pride and Honour Mrs. Shakuntala Dixit
- 2005 Pyaar Mein Twist Ms. Arya
- 2006 Big Brother
- 2007 Laaga Chunari Mein Daag
- 2010 Aashayein Madhu
- 2011 Love Breakups Zindagi
- 2012 Chaar Din Ki Chandni Pammi Kaur
- 2012 Student of the Year Abhimanyu’s grandmother
- 20`12 A Gran Plan Satvinder Kaur Bedi Won — Best Actress Award at 2012 Harlem International Film Festival
- 2015 Bezubaan Ishq Savitri
- 2017 I’m Not A Terrorist Zabira Malaysian-Bollywood film
- 2018 Batti Gul Meter Chalu Lalita’s Grandmother
- 2020 Jawaani Jaaneman Jazz’s Mother
Television Done By Farida Jalal
- 1984 Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi Ranjit’s aunt
- 1993-1994 Dekh Bhai Dekh Suhasini
- 1994 The Great Maratha Chimnabai
- 1993-98 Junoon Ganga
- 1999 Star Yaar Kalakaar Host
- 1999 Aashiqui Shobha
- 2003-2006 Shararat Sushma Mehra (Nani)
- 2005 Hero – Bhakti Hi Shakti Hai Bebe Guest
- 2009-2012 Balika Vadhu Badi Masiji
- 2010 Rishta.com Ruchika’s mother
- 2011 Dolly Aunty Ka Dream Villa Dolly Aunty
- 2011 Ammaji Ki Galli Ammaji
- 2013 Jeannie Aur Juju Duggu Dadi
- 2014–2016 Satrangi Sasural Gomti Devi Vatsal
Web series Done By Farida Jalal
- 2019 Parchhayee Ricky’s Dadi ZEE5