Saba Azad
Saba Azad (born Saba Singh Grewal; 1 November 1985) is an Indian actress, theatre director, and musician active in Hindi cinema, independent theatre productions, and electronic music.[1][2][3] She made her Bollywood acting debut in the independent film Dil Kabaddi (2008), portraying one of the lead roles, and gained further recognition for her performance in the youth comedy Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge (2011).[3][4] In theatre, Azad founded the company The Skins in 2010 to produce and direct Lovepuke, an adaptation of a script by New Zealand playwright Duncan Sarkies, marking her entry into directing experimental works.[3] As a musician, she co-founded the Mumbai-based electro-funk duo Madboy/Mink, contributing vocals and performance to their independent releases.[4] Her recent film roles include Songs of Paradise (2025), where she played Zeba Akhtar, a pioneering female singer at Radio Kashmir, highlighting her versatility in period dramas.[5]Early Life and Background
Family and Upbringing
Saba Azad, born Saba Singh Grewal on 1 November 1990 in Delhi, India, hails from a family blending Punjabi Sikh paternal lineage and maternal Muslim roots tracing to Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi.[1][6] Her parents, both atheists who eschewed religious practice and refrained from imposing views on her, fostered an environment free from doctrinal constraints.[6] She is the niece of prominent theatre artist Safdar Hashmi, whose influence contributed to a household steeped in artistic traditions.[7] Raised in a middle-class Delhi home comprising academics and artists, Azad experienced a conventional yet culturally rich childhood that emphasized exposure to the performing arts from an early age.[8] Her parents supported pursuits in dance, including Bharatnatyam, Odissi, ballet, jazz, and contemporary forms, without rigid expectations on life choices.[9] This progressive approach, marked by independence and creative liberty rather than pressure for conformity, shaped her formative years amid Delhi's multicultural milieu.[8][6]Education and Influences
Azad was born and raised in Delhi, where she received her early schooling in an environment that fostered cultural and artistic exposure, stemming from her family's academic and creative milieu.[8] Her formal artistic development began in childhood through involvement with Jana Natya Manch, the theatre collective founded by her uncle Safdar Hashmi, a influential communist playwright and street theatre pioneer assassinated in 1989.[10][11][12] This early immersion, starting around age five, exposed her to theatre veterans like M.K. Raina and Habib Tanvir, shaping her foundational skills in performance and instilling a commitment to socially engaged art forms akin to Hashmi's protest-oriented works.[10][13][14] By her late teens, around 2003, these influences had solidified her trajectory toward professional pursuits in acting, music, and direction, distinct from conventional academic paths.[15]Professional Career
Theatre and Independent Beginnings
Azad's initial forays into performing arts occurred during her youth through involvement with the Delhi-based travelling theatre company Jana Natya Manch, where she engaged in acting and singing for various groups and figures including Habib Tanvir.[12] [16] Soon after completing school, she transitioned into independent projects, including theatre work that laid the groundwork for her directing pursuits.[17] Her entry into independent film came in 2008 with the lead role of Raaga in Dil Kabaddi, an indie production directed by Tarun Shanker and Mihir Ahuja that depicted intertwined urban romantic entanglements among young professionals.[18] [19] In 2010, Azad established her theatre company The Skins and directed her first production, Lovepuke, an adaptation of New Zealand playwright Duncan Sarkies' script, which premiered in September at the experimental theatre of the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Mumbai.[10] This period also saw her collaborate with Imaad Shah to form the electro-funk duo Madboy/Mink in 2012, incorporating live musical elements into performance-based expressions that extended her experimental theatre roots.[20]Film and Mainstream Acting
Saba Azad made her Bollywood debut in the independent film Dil Kabaddi (2008), directed by Anil Senior, where she portrayed a lead role opposite Rahul Bose.[3] The film focused on urban relationships and marked her entry into feature filmmaking without reliance on established industry connections.[3] Her breakthrough came with the leading role of Preity Sen in the romantic comedy Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge (2011), released on October 14, directed by Nupur Asthana and produced by Y-Films.[21] In the film, Azad played a college student navigating social media-driven romance alongside co-star Saqib Saleem, earning praise for her natural performance that contributed to the movie's 6.9/10 IMDb rating from over 4,000 users.[21] Critics noted her ability to embody the character's quirky energy, helping the film resonate with younger audiences despite modest box office returns.[21] Following her early leads, Azad transitioned to selective supporting and short-form projects, including Strangers in the Night (2012), Pure-Veg (2016), and Connected (2019), which showcased her versatility in indie cinema.[3] These roles emphasized character-driven narratives over commercial blockbusters, aligning with her theatre background and merit-driven opportunities in a competitive industry.[3] In 2025, Azad starred as the young protagonist Zeba Akhter in Songs of Paradise, a biographical musical drama directed by Danish Renzu, inspired by the life of Kashmiri singer Raj Begum and released on Amazon Prime Video on August 29.[22] Her portrayal received acclaim for infusing emotional depth and vocal authenticity into the role, with reviewers highlighting her as a standout in a story centered on cultural resilience amid conflict, earning a 3.5/5 rating from The Times of India for its musical and acting strengths.[22][23] The film also featured co-stars Soni Razdan and Zain Khan Durrani, underscoring Azad's progression to nuanced, culturally rooted mainstream features.[22] Azad appeared in the thriller Bandar (2025), playing Khushi in a narrative exploring empathy and character complexity, which premiered to attention for its intense premise.[24] Her selective film choices reflect a focus on substantive roles rather than volume, prioritizing projects with artistic merit in Bollywood's evolving landscape.[24]Web Series and Digital Platforms
Saba Azad entered the digital streaming space with her portrayal of Parvana Irani, a lawyer character, in the Hindi-language biographical series Rocket Boys on SonyLIV.[25] The series, which premiered its first season on February 17, 2022, depicts the lives and contributions of Indian nuclear physicist Homi J. Bhabha and space scientist Vikram Sarabhai during India's post-independence scientific advancements.[26] Azad reprised the role in the second season, released on March 16, 2023, where her character navigates legal and personal challenges amid the scientists' endeavors.[27] She has credited the project with broadening her acting prospects, stating it demonstrated her versatility beyond initial typecasting concerns during auditions.[28] In February 2025, Azad starred in Crime Beat, a Hindi thriller web series on ZEE5 co-featuring Saqib Saleem, Rahul Bhat, and Sai Tamhankar, centered on investigative journalism and criminal pursuits.[29] The series premiered on February 21, 2025, marking her continued pivot toward genre-driven OTT content that leverages ensemble casts for narrative depth.[30] Azad's digital engagements reflect the post-2010s surge in Indian OTT platforms, which she has described as empowering for actors previously overlooked in mainstream cinema by offering roles with substantive character arcs.[31] In October 2025, Prime Video announced Storm, a Mumbai-set thriller series produced by Hrithik Roshan under his HRX Films banner, with Azad in the cast alongside lead Parvathy Thiruvothu, Alaya F, Srishti Shrivastava, and Rrama Sharma; directed by Ajitpal Singh, it represents Roshan's production debut in streaming.[32][33] This project underscores her expanding footprint in high-profile digital productions amid the sector's growth as a viable alternative to theatrical releases.[34]Music and Performances
Saba Azad co-founded the electro-funk duo Madboy/Mink in 2012 alongside musician and actor Imaad Shah, blending elements of old-school funk, nu disco, jazz, and electronic sounds.[3][35] The band released independent tracks and conducted live tours across India, performing on circuits that highlighted their eclectic mash-ups of disco grooves and swing influences.[36][37] Beyond band work, Azad has contributed original vocals to select projects, including live singing renditions integrated into narrative roles. In the 2025 Prime Video film Songs of Paradise, released on August 29, she portrayed Zeba, a character inspired by Kashmiri singer Raj Begum, performing songs under the alias Noor Begum that echo traditional Valley folk styles while advancing the story of resilience amid cultural constraints.[38][39] These vocal efforts underscore her ability to fuse personal artistry with scripted demands, distinct from her acting dialogue. Azad has described music as a sustaining parallel pursuit to her acting, emphasizing artistic autonomy in interviews where she reflects on navigating dual creative paths without commercial dilution.[40] This independence allows her to prioritize experimental outputs, such as Madboy/Mink's niche indie releases, over mainstream synchronization, even as performance opportunities arise from collaborative platforms.[12]Notable Works
Filmography
Saba Azad's feature film acting credits consist primarily of lead and supporting roles in the following productions:| Year | Title | Role | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Dil Kabaddi | Raaga | Anil Senior[41] |
| 2011 | Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge | Preity Sen | Nupur Asthana[21] |
| 2025 | Songs of Paradise | Rumi | Danish Renzu[42][43] |
Discography
Azad serves as the vocalist for the electro-funk duo Madboy/Mink, alongside Imaad Shah, with releases spanning EPs and singles primarily in the nu-disco and funk genres.[44]Madboy/Mink
- All Ball (EP, released April 4, 2014): Includes tracks "Alley Cats," "Lemonade," "Taste Your Kiss," "Funkenstein," and "Pimp the Disco."[45]
- Union Farm (EP, released July 13, 2015): Features "Calcutta Kiss" (with vocals by Azad and Shah).[46][47]
- Persons.Elastic.Superior.Fantastic (EP, released 2018): Contains "Sharaabi," "Faramosh" (with vocals by Azad and Shah), and "Laika."[48][49]
- Faramosh (single, released July 18, 2024): Electro-funk track with Urdu disco elements, vocals by Azad and Shah.[50][44]
Soundtrack Contributions
Azad has provided vocals for select film and series soundtracks, often in collaborative compositions.| Year | Song | Project | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | "Bhar De Hamaara Glass" | Karwaan (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | Composed and lyrics by Imaad Shah; released July 13, 2018.[51][52] |
| 2023 | "I Wanna See You Dance" | Kho Gaye Hum Kahan (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | Featured track with remix release in 2024 by DJ Aqeel.[53][54] |
| 2023 | "Sab Farzi" | Farzi (web series soundtrack) | Released as part of the series' original score.[54][55] |
| 2023 | "Sar Aankhon Pe" | Man Woman Man Woman (short film soundtrack) | Composed by Shah; released October 10, 2023.[56] |