The 53rd Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's top film award, will be given to Waheeda Rehman, whose radiant beauty and superb acting skills made her a favourite of a generation of moviegoers.
The timing of the award, announced by union minister for information and broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur couldn’t have been more perfect for the 85-year-old actor.
“Her journey in Indian cinema has left an indelible mark. A beacon of talent, dedication and grace, she embodies the best of our cinematic heritage. Congratulations to her,” posted Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It came on a day when Hindi film enthusiasts were celebrating the birth centenary of Dev Anand, a co-star she was fond of and frequently collaborated with.
Waheeda gave one of her most iconic performances as Rosie in Dev Anand's 'Guide' (1965), which was adapted from writer RK Narayan's novel. Waheeda played a lady who dared leave her unhappy marriage in order to seek love and independence with recklessness. In a role that many people are familiar with, Waheeda gives a genuine and engrossing performance. Waheeda made her acting debut in a role with dark overtones in CID (1956), another box office success directed by Dev Anand, over ten years ago.
The two stars were also paired in the hit romantic comedy, 'Solva Saal' (1958), among the first of Hindi film remakes of Frank Capra’s 'It Happened One Night' (1934) and a bunch of other black and white movies such as 'Kala Bazar' (1960) and 'Baat Ek Raat Ki' (1962) that continue to draw old-timers on YouTube and OTT channels.