Veteran actor Waheeda Rehman chosen for Dadasaheb Phalke Award

Waheeda Rehman, the veteran actor who portrayed iconic roles in Pyaasa, Guide, Kaagaz ke Phool, Chaudhavi Ka Chand and Saheb Biwi Aur Ghulam among others, was on Tuesday chosen for the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award.

The announcement was made by Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur who said she has "exemplified dedication, commitment and the strength" of an Indian woman who can achieve the highest level of professional excellence with her hard work.

"At a time when the historic Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women's Reservation Bill) has been passed by Parliament, her being awarded with this lifetime achievement award is a fitting tribute to one of the leading ladies of Indian cinema and one who has dedicated her life after films to philanthropy and the greater good of society. I congratulate her and humbly pay my regards to her rich body of work that is an intrinsic part of our film history," he posted on 'X'.

The jury which chose her for the award included last year's Phalke award winner Asha Parekh, Chiranjeevi, Paresh Rawal, Prosenjit Chatterjee and Shekhar Kapur.

"I'm doubly happy because it is Dev Anand's (100th) birthday. I think 'taufa unko milna tha, mujhe mil gaya'," she was quoted by PTI as saying. Dev Anand and Waheeda were frequent collaborators for movies.

"It is very wonderful that his celebration is going on and I get this honour. I'm really happy and grateful to the government that they chose me go give this honour. So, it is a combination and celebration of this and Dev sahab's 100th birth anniversary," she added.

The jury which chose her for the award included last year's Phalke award winner Asha Parekh, Chiranjeevi, Paresh Rawal, Prosenjit Chatterjee and Shekhar Kapur.

"I'm doubly happy because it is Dev Anand's (100th) birthday. I think 'taufa unko milna tha, mujhe mil gaya'," she was quoted by PTI as saying. Dev Anand and Waheeda were frequent collaborators for movies.

"It is very wonderful that his celebration is going on and I get this honour. I'm really happy and grateful to the government that they chose me go give this honour. So, it is a combination and celebration of this and Dev sahab's 100th birth anniversary," she added.

The 85-year-old Chengalpet-born (Tamil Nadu) actor and dancer was earlier honoured with Padma Shri in 1972 and Padma Bhushan in 2011 started her celluloid career with a Telugu film Rojulu Marayi in 1955. Phalke award is the highest recognition in film industry.

A trained Bharanatyam dancer, she earned recognition as an actor after collaborating with filmmaker Guru Dutt whose films like Pyaasa, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Chaudhvin Ka Chand and Sahib, Bibi Aur Ghulam. She etched her name in Bollywood with her role in Dev Anand-starrer Guide. She also acted in Satyajit Ray's Abhijan.

She won the national award for best actress for the portrayal of a clanswoman in Reshma Aur Shera in 1971. Later, she switched to supporting roles and her characters in Rang De Basanti and Delhi-6 also earned eyeballs.

She acted along with Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, Rajendra Kumar, Dharmendra Raj Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan in lead roles. In early 1970s, she sought a break from usual pattern and experimented on her roles by playing mother to Jaya Bachchan in Phagun in 1973.

Rehman began experimenting with roles at this stage of career. She accepted the offer to play a mother to Jaya Bhaduri in Phagun (1973). She took a sabbatical from cinema in the early 1990s and returned in early 2000s.