Waheeda Rehman

Waheeda Rehman , Waheeda Rehman in 2012 Born (1936-05-14)14 May 1936, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, British India Other names Waheeda Rahman Occupation Actress Years active 1955-1991, 2002-present Notable work(s) Reshma in Reshma Aur Shera, Rosie Marco/Miss Nalini in Guide, Rajkumari Neel Kamal/Sita in Neel Kamal, Nurse Radha in Khamoshi Spouse(s) Shashi Rekhi (1974-2000 his death) Waheeda Rehman is an Indian film actress who appears in Bollywood movies and is known for many successful and critically acclaimed movies from the 1950s, 60s and early 70s most notably C.I.D. (1956) and 5 Guru Dutt classics - Pyaasa (1957), 12 O'Clock (1958), Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959), Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1961). Her other notable works include Solva Saal (1958), Baat Ek Raat Ki (1962), Kohra (1964), Bees Sal Baad (1962), Guide (1965), Teesri Kasam, Mujhe Jeene Do (1966), Neel Kamal and Khamoshi (1969). Early life edit: One of the most prominent actresses of the golden era, Waheeda Rehman was born into a Muslim family in Melapalayam, Thirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, British India. She and her sister learnt Bharatnatyam in Chennai, where Guru Trichunder Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai and in Bombay Guru Jayalaxmi Alva, doyen among nattuvanars taught and performed on stage together. Her father, who was a district commissioner, died while she was in her teens. It is a common misconception that Rehman was born in Hyderabad. "It's a long story," she says, "When I was in Chennai, I did two Tamil and four Telugu movies. In the first one, Kaalam Maari Pochu along with Gemini Ganesan a bilingual film which was made in Tamil and Telugu as Rojulu Maraayi, I did only a folk dance number in both Tamil and Telugu versions. However, it went on to become a hit! I was in Hyderabad celebrating its success and Guru Dutt happened to be there. He was on a lookout for new faces and heard that I could speak in Urdu. It is because he spotted me in Hyderabad that people assume I was born there." Her dream was to become a doctor but, due to circumstances and illness, she abandoned this goal. Instead helped by her supportive parents, she hit the silver screen with Telugu films Jayasimha (1955), followed by Rojulu Marayi (1955) and Tamil film Kaalam Maari Pochu (1956). It is in Vijaya-Suresh's Ram aur Shyam (a remake of Telugu movie Ramudu Bheemudu) in 1967 that Waheeda acted again under the direction of the topnotch Telugu director Tapi Chanakya who incidentally directed her movies Rojulu Maaraayi in Telugu (1955) and Kaalam Maaripochu in Tamil (1956). Career edit: Waheeda Rehman, started her career in films in 1954 and her first successful films were the Telugu films Jayasimha (1955), Rojulu Marayi (1955) and Tamil film Kaalam Maari Pochu (1956). In the success party of Rojulu Maaraayi, Guru Dutt noticed her and decided to groom her and have her act in Hindi films. Waheeda considered Guru Dutt as her mentor. Dutt brought her to Bombay (now Mumbai) and cast as a vamp in his production C.I.D. (1956), directed by Raj Khosla. A few years after joining the Hindi film industry, she lost her mother. After the success of C.I.D., Dutt gave her a leading role in Pyaasa (1957). Their next venture together, Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959), depicted the story of a successful director's decline after he falls for his leading lady. Dutt's existing marriage and her film successes with other directors caused them to drift apart personally and professionally, although they continued to work together into the 1960s (Chaudhvin Ka Chand). She completed Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962) under some strain. They broke away from each other after its indifferent reception at the Berlin Film Festival in 1963. Soon afterward, Guru Dutt died on 10 October 1964 in Mumbai reportedly from an overdose of sleeping pills and alcohol. Waheeda Rehman established a great working relationship with Dev Anand, and together as a pair had number of successful films to their credit. The box office hits of the pair include C.I.D. (1956), Solva Saal (1958), Kala Bazar (1960), Baat Ek Raat Ki (1962) and Guide (1965); box office duds were Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja (1961) and Prem Pujari (1970). She reached her peak with Guide (1965) and was much in demand. Rehman was cast as "Gulabi" in Satyajit Ray's Bengali film Abhijan in 1962. She worked in comedy film Girl Friend in 1960 with Kishore Kumar. She was offered lead actress's role in films even opposite actors junior to her by experience like Dharmendra, but they flopped. But she continued to taste success in the late sixties when she was paired with well established stars. She delivered hits opposite Dilip Kumarin three successive years; " Dil diyaa Dard liyaa" in 1966, Ram Aur Shyam in 1967 and Aadmi in 1968 and some box office duds but critically acclaimed films with Rajendra Kumar - Palki, Dharti and Shatranj ; two films opposite Raj Kapoor - " Ek dil sau Afsane" and the acclaimed "Teesri Kasam" which was the debut film of Basu Bhattacharyya; a few films opposite Biswajeet like, "Bees saal baad" and "Kohra"; this helped her continue to get lead roles in the early seventies. Her career's biggest hit Khamoshi came in 1970, opposite Rajesh Khanna. Her career continued throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. She won the Filmfare Best Actress Award for her roles in Guide (1965), where she hit the peak of her career, and Neel Kamal (1968), but despite excellent offbeat roles in subsequent films, including a National Award winning performance in Reshma Aur Shera (1971), some of the films failed at the box office. Seeing her films being successful, Waheeda decided to experiment with roles at this stage of career. She accepted Reshma Aur Shera, opposite her old co-star Sunil Dutt, with whom she had previously in the sixties had hits like Ek Phool Char Kaante, Mujhe Jeene Do, Meri Bhabhi and Darpan. Her performance was appreciated by critics, but the film failed at the box office. But Waheeda continued to experiment with roles and accepted the offer to play a mother to Jaya Bhaduri in Phagun(1973). This she regards the mistake of her career as after this film flopped suddenly people started offering her motherly roles to heroes. From the mid seventies, Waheeda's career as lead heroine ended and her career as character actor began. At around this time, Kamaljit, who starred opposite her in Shagun (1964), proposed and they got married in 1974. After her appearance in Lamhe (1991), she retired from the film industry for 12 years. In her new innings from seventies her successful films, where she played pivotal roles include, Kabhi Kabhie (1976),Trishul (1978), Jwalamukhi(1980), Namkeen and Namak Halaal (1982),Mashaal (1984), Chandni(1989), Rang De Basanti(2006). She played the central character in a Mahesh Bhatt directed tele-film "Swayam" that starred Akash Khurana and Anupam Kher. She also appeared in a tele-series being directed by Gulzar. In recent years she made a comeback playing elderly mother and grandmother roles in Om Jai Jagadish (2002), Water (2005) and Rang De Basanti (2006), 15, Park Avenue and Delhi 6 (2009) which were all critically acclaimed. In October 2004, a Waheeda Rehman film retrospective was held at the Seattle Art Museum and the University of Washington where Waheeda participated in spirited panel and audience discussions on her most memorable films--Pyaasa, Teesri Kasam and Guide--although her most successful film is still considered to be Khamoshi, with costar Rajesh Khanna. Personal life edit: After her marriage with Shashi Rekhi (screen name Kamaljeet) on 27 April 1974, she shifted to a farmhouse in Bangalore. She bore two children named Sohail and Kashvi, who are writers. On 21 November 2000, her husband died following a prolonged illness. She moved back to her ocean view bungalow in Bandra, Mumbai where she currently lives. Awards edit: National Film Award for Best Actress for Reshma Aur Shera in 1971., Filmfare Best Actress Award for Guide in 1966, Filmfare Best Actress Award for Neel Kamal in 1968, Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards, Best Actress (Hindi) for Teesri Kasam in 1967., Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994, NTR National Award for 2006., Padma Shri in 1972., Padma Bhushan in 2011., Nominations edit: Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress -- Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962), Filmfare Award for Best Actress -- Ram Aur Shyam (1967), Filmfare Award for Best Actress -- Khamoshi (1970), Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress -- Kabhi Kabhie (1976), Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress -- Namkeen (1982), Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress -- Lamhe (1991), Filmography edit: Year Title Role Language 1955 Rojulu Marayi Debut. Guest Appearance in the song, "Yeruvaka Sagaro ranno chinnanna" Telugu 1955 Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum Dancer Tamil 1955 Jayasimha Princess Telugu 1956 Kaalam Maari Pochu Tamil 1956 C.I.D. Kamini Hindi 1957 Pyaasa Gulabo Hindi 1958 12 O'Clock Bani Choudhary Hindi 1958 Solva Saal Laaj Hindi 1959 Kaagaz Ke Phool Shanti Hindi 1960 Kala Bazar Alka Hindi 1960 Ek Phool Char Kaante Sushma Hindi 1960 Chaudhvin Ka Chand Jameela Hindi 1960 Girl Friend Hindi 1961 Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja Hindi 1962 Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam Jaba Hindi 1962 Bees Saal Baad Radha Hindi 1962 Baat Ek Raat Ki Neela/Meena Hindi 1962 Rakhi Hindi 1962 Abhijan Gulabi Bengali 1963 Mujhe Jeene Do Chameli Jaan Hindi 1963 Kaun Apna Kaun Paraya Asha Hindi 1963 Ek Dil Sau Afsane Sunita Hindi 1964 Kohra Rajashwari Hindi 1964 Shagoon Hindi 1964 Majboor Sushila Mehta Hindi 1965 Guide Rosie Marco/Miss Nalini Hindi 1966 Teesri Kasam Hira Bai Hindi 1966 Dil Diya Dard Liya Roopa Hindi 1967 Patthar Ke Sanam Taruna Hindi 1967 Ram Aur Shyam Anjana Hindi 1967 Palki Mehroo Hindi 1967 Ghar Ka Chirag Hindi 1968 Neel Kamal Rajkumari Neel Kamal/Sita Hindi 1968 Aadmi Meena Hindi 1968 Baazi Hindi 1969 Khamoshi Nurse Radha Hindi 1969 Shatranj Meena Thakur Hindi 1969 Meri Bhabhi Maya Hindi 1970 Prem Pujari Suman Mehra Hindi 1970 Man Ki Aankhen Guddi (Geeta) Hindi 1970 Dharti Jwala/Princess Chitralekha Hindi 1970 Darpan Madhvi Hindi 1971 Man Mandir Krishna and Radha Hindi 1971 Reshma Aur Shera Reshma Hindi 1972 Zindagi Zindagi Meeta Sharma Hindi 1972 Trisandhya Indu Hindi 1972 Subha-O-Sham Shirin Hindi 1972 Dil Ka Raaja Laxmi Hindi 1973 Phagun Shanta Bangan/Shamrao Dhamle Hindi 1973 Justice Hindi 1974 Bangaru Kalalu Telugu 1976 Aadalat Radha Hindi 1976 Kabhi Kabhie Anjali Malhotra Hindi 1978 Trishul Shanti Hindi 1979 Aaj Ki Dhara Hindi 1980 Jyoti Bane Jwala Malti Hindi 1980 Jwalamukhi Savita Devi Hindi 1982 Sawaal Anju D. Mehta Hindi 1982 Namak Halaal Savitridevi Hindi 1982 Namkeen Jugni (Jyoti) Hindi 1982 Dharam Kanta Radha Singh Hindi 1983 Himmatwala Savitri Hindi 1983 Mahaan Janki Hindi 1983 Coolie Salma Hindi 1983 Pyaasi Aankhen Hindi 1983 Ghungroo Rani Maa Hindi 1984 Sunny Gayatri Inderjeet Hindi 1984 Mashaal Sudha Kumar Hindi 1984 Maqsad Sharda Hindi 1985 Bayen Hath Ka Khel Hindi 1986 Simhasanam Telugu 1986 Singhasan Rajmata Vardhan Hindi 1986 Allah-Rakha Adv.Salma Anwar Hindi 1989 Chandni Mrs. Khanna Hindi 1991 Lamhe Dai Jaan Hindi 1991 Swayam Hindi 1994 Ulfat Ki Nayee Manzilen Hindi 2002 Om Jai Jagadish Saraswati Batra Hindi 2005 Water Bhagavati (Narayan's Mother) Hindi 2005 Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara Principal Khanna Hindi 2005 15 Park Avenue Mrs. Mathur/Mrs. Gupta English/Bengali 2006 Rang De Basanti Ajay's Mother Hindi 2006 Chukkallo Chandrudu Arjun's Grand-Mother Telugu 2009 Delhi 6 Dadi (Annapurna Mehra) Hindi Notes edit: ^ Guru Dutt was my mentor: Waheeda/, ^ "Life dedicated to dance". The Hindu. Jan 03, 2003. , ^ Gulzar, p. 22, ^ eenadu.net-heart & soul of andhra, ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0436405/bio, ^ "The Winners - 1966". Filmfare Awards. Retrieved 15 December 2010. , ^ "The Winners - 1968". Filmfare Awards. Retrieved 15 December 2010. , ^ 32nd Annual BFJA Awards, ^ "Lifetime Achievement (Popular)". Filmfare Awards. Retrieved 15 December 2010. , ^ "Brajesh Mishra, Azim Premji, Montek in list of 128 Padma awardees". The Times Of India. , ^ "The Nominations - 1962". Filmfare Awards. Retrieved 15 December 2010. , ^ "The Nominations - 1967". Filmfare Awards. Retrieved 15 December 2010. , ^ "The Nominations - 1970". Filmfare Awards. Retrieved 15 December 2010. , ^ "The Nominations - 1976". Filmfare Awards. Retrieved 15 December 2010. , ^ "The Nominations - 1982". Filmfare Awards. Retrieved 15 December 2010. , ^ "The Nominations - 1991". Filmfare Awards. Retrieved 15 December 2010.

Source: Wikipedia

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