Farida Akhtar Poppy, known by her stage name Babita, (born 30 July 1953)[1] is a Bangladeshi film actress.

She is best known for her performance in Satyajit Ray's Distant Thunder, a novel adaptation about the Bengal famine of 1943, which won the Golden Bear prize at the 23rd Berlin International Film Festival in 1973.

[7] In 2023, Bob Dubey, the mayor of Richardson, a city in North Texas, officially declared August 5 as "Babita Day" in honor of her.

[citation needed] Her father Nizamuddin Ataub was a government officer and mother Jahan Ara Begum was a doctor.

[16] Babita's notable work includes Shukhe Thako, Taka Anna Pai, Shorolipi, Manusher Mon, Pich Dhala Path, Noyon Moni, Jonmo Theke Jolchi and Anarkoli.

Babita appeared in the lead role of Ananga, the demure wife of the village doctor Gangacharan, who was played by long-time Ray favorite Soumitra Chatterjee.

[citation needed] Babita also acted in Arunodoyer Agnishakkhi (1972) by Subhash Dutta, Dhire Bohe Meghna (1973) by Alamgir Kabir, Golapi Ekhon Trainey (1978) by Amjad Hossain, Dahan (1986) by Sheikh Niamat Ali, and Dipu Number Two (1996) by Morshedul Islam.

[citation needed] Babita's male co-actors were Razzak, Faruk, Zafar Iqbal, Bulbul Ahmed, and Sohel Rana.

[citation needed] Babita made her debut as a child actor in the Songsar film of Zahir Raihan starring elder sister Shuchanda.

Her name became "Babita" when she appeared in Zaheer Raihan's film "Jalte Suraj Ki Niche".

[18] In 2002, Babita won a National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Hason Raja, Chashi Nazrul Islam's biopic of the Bengali folk-poet.

[citation needed] She also starred in Shahin-Sumon's action drama Khodar Pore Ma co-starring Shakib Khan, played as his mother.