Waheeda Rehman Biography

Waheeda Rehman born on 14 May 1936 famous Indian film actress. Waheeda Rehman was discovered by Guru Dutt and casted in his production C.I.D. 1956. Her dream was to become a doctor but due to circumstances she abandoned this goal.

Waheeda Rehman was born into a traditional Muslim family in Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India. She and her sister learnt Bharatnatyam and performed on stage along with her sister. Her father was a District Commissioner.

Guru Dutt gave her a leading role in Pyaasa 1957. It was at this point that she got involved in an unsuccessful love affair with Guru Dutt. Their next Film together was Kaagaz Ke Phool 1959, depicted the story of a successful director's decline. Guru 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. Soon afterwards, Guru Dutt died on 10 October 1964 in Mumbai reportedly from an overdose of sleeping pills and alcohol.

Waheeda Rahman also acted in Satyajit Ray's Bengali film Abhijan in 1962.

Her career continued throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. She won the Filmfare Best Actress Award for her roles in Guide opposite Dev Anand (1965), where she hit the peak of her career and Neel Kamal opposite Raj Kumar (1968), She got National award for her performance in Reshma Aur Shera opposite Sunil Dutt (1971), some of the films failed at the box office. At around this time, Kamaljit who starred opposite her in Shagun (1964)) proposed to her. She accepted and they were married on 27 April 1974. After her marriage, she shifted to a farmhouse in Bangalore. She bore two children named Sohail and Kashvi. After her appearance in Lamhe (1991) she retired from the film industry for 12 years. On 21 November 2000, her husband died following a prolonged illness. She moved back to her ocean view bungalow in Bandra, Bombay where she lives currently.
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) and Delhi 6 (2009) which were all critically acclaimed.

In October 2004, 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.

Her most successful film is still considered to be Khamoshi, with Rajesh Khanna.

Waheeda Rehaman Filmography

Jayasimha (1955)
Rojulu Marayi (1955)
C.I.D. (1956)
Pyaasa (1957)
12 O'Clock (1958)
Solva Saal (1958)
Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959)
Kala Bazar (1960)
Ek Phool Char Kaante (1960)
Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1960)
Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962)
Bees Saal Baad (1962)
Baat Ek Raat Ki (1962)
Mujhe Jeene Do (1963)
Kohra (1964)
Guide (1965)
Teesri Kasam (1966)
Dil Diya Dard Liya (1966)
Patthar Ke Sanam (1967)
Ram Aur Shyam (1967)
Palki (1967)
Neel Kamal (1968)
Aadmi (1968)
Khamoshi (1969)
Prem Pujari (1970)
Man Mandir (1971)
Reshma Aur Shera (1971)
Phagun (1973)
Aadalat (1976)
Kabhi Kabhie (1976)
Trishul (1978)
Sawaal (1982)
Namak Halaal (1982)
Himmatwala (1983)
Mahaan (1983)
Coolie (1983)
Sunny (1984)
Mashaal (1984)
Chandni (1989)
Lamhe (1991)
Ulfat Ki Nayee Manzilen (1994)
Om Jai Jagadish (2002)
Water (2005)
Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara (2005)
15 Park Avenue (2005)
Rang De Basanti (2006)
Chukkallo Chandrudu (2006)
Delhi 6 (2009)