Seema Biswas is an Indian film and theatre actress from Assam who shot into prominence with the role of Phoolan Devi in Shekhar Kapur's film Bandit Queen (1994). She has a reputation for performing strong character roles. Biswas won the 1996 National Film Award for Best Actress for her role in the film Bandit Queen. She won the 2000 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the 2006 Best Actress Genie Award...Seema Biswas is an Indian film and theatre actress from Assam who shot into prominence with the role of Phoolan Devi in Shekhar Kapur's film Bandit Queen (1994). She has a reputation for performing strong character roles. Biswas won the 1996 National Film Award for Best Actress for her role in the film Bandit Queen. She won the 2000 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the 2006 Best Actress Genie Award for her role as Shakuntala in Deepa Mehta's Water (2005). Biswas was born in Nalbari, Assam, to parents Jagdish and Meera Biswas. Her mother, an early influence, was a history teacher and a pioneering figure for female theatre artistes in Assam; and she came into contact with artists like Bhupen Hazarika, Phani Sarma and Bishnuprasad Rabha early in life. She studied Political Science at Nalbari College, and later joined the National School of Drama, New Delhi. After graduating from NSD in 1984, she joined the NSD Repertory Company.