Actor Shagufta Ali recently garnered a fair deal of attention on social media when she opened up about her financial problems and revealed that she has not been getting much work of late. According to reports, she also claimed that these hardships have taken a toll on her health. The likes of Madhuri Dixit and Rohit Shetty soon came to know about the seasoned performer's issues and volunteered to help her. She eventually received financial assistance from the team behind Dance Deewaane, a popular reality show.
Here is a look at Shagufta's professional journey.
The beginnings
The actor, who is the daughter of the late Shahid Bijnori, was born in Mumbai in 1967. She began her Bollywood career with a supporting role in the 1989 release Kanoon Apna Apna, starring iconic Dilip Kumar and Sanjay Dutt. She made her TV debut around the same time with Dard, adding a new dimension to her career.
Finding a foothold
Shagufta subsequently carved a niche in Tellywood with shows such as Kanoon, Junoon and the critically-acclaimed medical drama Sanjivini, which featured Monhish Bahl in a key role. She also acted in shows such as Punar Vivaah, starring Gurmeet Choudhary, and Shivin Narang's Ek Veer Ki Ardaas...Veera. The actor was also part of Sasural Simar Ka and Adaalat.
Bollywood journey
The star continued her association with Bollywood, essaying key roles in films such as Ajooba, Gardish and the Akshay Kumar-starrer International Khiladi. She was last seen in the Sajid Ali-directed Laila Majnu, which hit the screens in 2018. It featured newcomer Avinash Tiwary of Tu Hai Mera Sunday fame and Tripti Dimri, who later impressed fans with her work in the Anushka Sharma-backed Netflix film Bulbbul.
Special appearances and setbacks
Shagufta made her presence felt in the Tamil film industry with 'special appearances' in Rajinikanth's Uzhaippali and the Sarath Kumar-starrer I Love India. She, however suffered a few setbacks when films such as Salman Khan's Sagar Se Gehra Pyaar and Ek Baar Keh De failed to see the light of the day.