Saba Azad (born as Saba Singh Grewal, 1 November 1985) is an Indian actress, theatre director and musician. She is one half of Mumbai-based electro funk duo Madboy/Mink. 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.
Early life
Azad was born in Delhi to a Punjabi father and a Kashmiri mother.[5] She is the niece of theatre great Safdar Hashmi.[6] Born into a theatre family, 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 also trained in dance forms like Odissi, classical ballet, jazz, Latin as well as contemporary dance forms.[8] Traveling 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] She has since gone on to work in many short films.
Career
Saleem with Saba Azad at the premier of Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge, 2011.
Azad is a popular musician and singer in the Indian indie music scene and one half of widely popular 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 breakup and make music together for their band Mad Boy Mink.[14][15]
