Why Tabu never used her father's surname
Bollywood star Tabu, born Tabassum Fatima Hashmi, previously shared why she never went by her father's surname.
On Rendezvous with Simi Garewal, she said, "I never really used it. I never thought it was important for me to use my father's surname."
After her parents divorced, Tabu grew up in Hyderabad with her mom and maternal grandparents.
Her dad was a Pakistani actor
Tabu's dad, Jamal Ali Hashmi, was a Pakistani actor who started a new family after the divorce. Her mom taught at school while her grandparents were professors—so books and learning were always around.
Since she hardly remembers her father, she used "Fatima" as her school surname instead of Hashmi.
Fun fact: legendary actor Dev Anand nicknamed her "Tabu" when he cast her in Hum Naujawan. She had earlier had a small role at age 11 in Bazaar.
Her thoughts on meeting her father
Tabu has never met or wanted to meet her dad. She put it simply: "I have no memories of him... I am not curious about him."
Instead, she credits the strong women in her family for shaping who she is today.