Credited as the first woman
director in India. Fatima Begum was
married to the Nawab of Sachin and was the mother of silent superstars Sultana, Zubeida as well as Shahzadi. She began her career on the Urdu stage, and went on to do films and became an established actress in Irani's Star Film, Veer Abhimanyu.

A couple of years later she set up Fatma Film (1926), which was later known as Victoria-Fatma Film (1928). She was an actress at Kohinoor and Imperial Studios while producing, writing and directing (often also acting in) her own films at the Fatma Co.

Leaning towards direction, Fatima did not give up acting entirely and continued acting till her last film in 1938, Duniya Kya Hai.