Seema Biswas was born on 14
th January 1965 in Guwahati, Assam, to Jagdish and Meera Biswas. Her mother was a history teacher and a pioneering figure for female theater artistes in Assam, an early influence; and she came into contact with artists like
Bhupen Hazarika,
Phani Sarma and
Bishnuprasad Rabha early in life. She took to theater at a tender age. She studied Political Science at Nalbari College The talented graduate of National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi, has been on stage since her school days in Nalbari, Assam. Before entering the Bollywood film Industry, she had earlier acted in Assamese cinema. When
Shekar Kapoor offered her a role in Bandit Queen. She knew it was what she wanted to do, and researched her part thoroughly. She was unable to meet Phoolan Devi in person, so she studied the Chambal queen\'s body language, trying to soak in the nuances of her personality. During the shooting, she would smoke a cigarette, but would start to cough immediately. So she ended up delivering her dialogues while her voice remained husky. She played a long-suffering housewife, Ganga that she played in
Salesman Ramlal, a stage play. It is a small role, but this Hindi adaptation of Arthur Miller\'s classic, Death of a Salesman, has been a dream role for her. For film
Kahmoshi, learned sign language, and for the small role in
Pinjar, she met mentally challenged people. She followed it up as a maid in
Bhoot, a cop in
Ek Hasina Thi and as a nun in
Kaya Taran.\' Roles that showcased her histrionic skills and set her apart as an actress to look out for The Malayalam films with
Jayraj,
Shantam and
Vivats, have won her appreciation. She has a reputation for performing strong character roles.
Awards and Honors:
- Best Actress Award - National Award - Bandit Queen - 1996.
- Best Female Debut Award - Filmfare Award - Bandit Queen - 1996.
- Best Supporting Actress Award - Star Screen Award - Khamoshi: The Musical - 1996.
Sangeet Natak Academy Award - 2001.
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Award - Genie Award - Water - 2006.
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