Together, Neena and her late husband Harpal Tiwana and are credited with nurturing talents such as Om Puri, Raj Babbar, Nirmal Rishi, Gurdas Maan and Girja Shankar
11 February, 2026 – Patiala : A connoisseur of Punjabi theatre, Neena Tiwana continues to celebrate the art. She was recently conferred the Punjab Gaurav Award for her lifelong contribution to the field by the Punjab Art Council, Government of Punjab. The award was presented to her by Padma Shri Nirmal Rishi, who considers Tiwana her teacher and mentor.
Neena Tiwana, along with her late husband Harpal Tiwana, was among the first Punjabis to graduate from the National School of Drama in 1965 under the guidance of Ebrahim Alkazi.
In a career spanning more than six decades, she has notched numerous successes on stage, portraying lead roles in many of her husband’s directorial ventures such as Kanak Di Balli, Loha Kut, Chamkaur Di Garhi, Antigone, Nasha Kursi Da, Mela Munde Kudiyan Da, Garam Bazar, Long Da Lishkara and the iconic Diva Bale Saari Raat, many of which were later adapted into films.
She and her late husband are credited with establishing a professional Punjabi theatre movement for the ticket-buying audience in the state. Her portrayal of a Sardarni in the film Long Da Lishkara made her a household name. She later appeared in the television series Saanjhi Deewar and the Hindi feature film Haat – The Bazar.
She has been honoured across the world with several awards, including the Outstanding Sikh Women Award by the SGPC on the tricentenary of the Khalsa, the Indo-Canadian Times Award, the Punjabi Cultural Society Chicago Award, the Shiromani Adakara Award by Bhasha Vibhag, Punjab, and the national Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for acting, presented by the President of India.
She has authored a book on her late husband, Oh Jo Si, and until recently, continued to perform on stage. Due to health reasons, she no longer acts but is currently working on a book on acting techniques.
“After her husband’s unfortunate demise in a car accident in 2002, she has been supporting me in carrying forward his legacy and reviving his productions on stage, including Sirhindi Di Deewar, Long Da Lishkara and Diva Bale Saari Raat,” said her son, Manpal Tiwana.
Together, Harpal and Neena Tiwana are credited with nurturing talents such as Om Puri, Raj Babbar, Nirmal Rishi, Gurdas Maan and Girja Shankar.
“Theatre brings characters to life and I am very fortunate to have lived a life in acting, which continues to inspire me,” the veteran actress said.
The Tribune