Shakeela, born Shakeela Begum in Madras (now Chennai), Tamil Nadu, India, to a Muslim family, is an acclaimed Indian actress and politician renowned for her roles in softcore pornographic and B-grade films. Debuting at 18 in the Tamil film Playgirls (1995), she skyrocketed to fame with Malayalam's Kinnara Thumbikal (2000), a low-budget hit grossing ₹4 crore that sparked a softcore wave in Kerala, dubbed internationally. Known as 'Shakeela films,' her over 250 movies across Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi featured her as a sexually liberated heroine, using body doubles for nudity. Transitioning to family roles post-2003, highlights include Driving School and a cameo in Chotta Mumbai (2007). She authored her autobiography Shakeela: Aatmakatha (2013) and entered politics with the Indian National Congress in 2021. Her bold career defied norms, revitalizing Malayalam cinema during slumps.