Mumbai, Sept 26: Bollywood legend Waheeda Rehman is set to receive the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2021, India’s highest film honor, as announced by Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur. At 85, Waheeda Rehman is celebrated for her exceptional contributions to Indian cinema through iconic films such as “Guide,” “Pyaasa,” “Kaagaz Ke Phool,” and “Chaudhvin Ka Chaand.”
Her illustrious career has earned her accolades like the Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award, presented by the Indian government, is the highest recognition in the Indian film industry.
Anurag Thakur shared the news on X, expressing his immense happiness and honor in bestowing the Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award upon Waheeda Rehman. He praised her critically acclaimed roles in films like “Pyaasa,” “Kaagaz ke Phool,” “Chaudhavi Ka Chand,” “Saheb Biwi Aur Ghulam,” “Guide,” “Khamoshi,” and more. Over her five-decade-long career, she portrayed her characters with exceptional finesse, earning her a National Film Award for her role as a clanswoman in “Reshma Aur Shera.”
I feel an immense sense of happiness and honour in announcing that Waheeda Rehman ji is being bestowed with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award this year for her stellar contribution to Indian Cinema.
Waheeda ji has been critically acclaimed for her…
— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) September 26, 2023
Beyond her film accomplishments, Waheeda Rehman is a recipient of the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards and has devoted herself to philanthropy and societal well-being in her post-film career.
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Thakur also highlighted the recent passing of the historic Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women’s Empowerment Act) in Parliament, emphasizing that Waheeda Rehman’s lifetime achievement award is a fitting tribute to one of Indian cinema’s leading ladies and a symbol of the dedication, commitment, and strength of a Bharatiya Nari (Indian woman). Her work has left an indelible mark on Indian film history.
The announcement of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award coincides with the centenary celebration of the late actor Dev Anand, who was Waheeda Rehman’s co-star in one of her most iconic films, “Guide,” released in 1965. Dev Anand himself received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2002, and if he were alive today, he would have turned 100.
The award ceremony honoring Waheeda Rehman’s illustrious career will take place later this year. The previous recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award was Asha Parekh, a close friend of Waheeda Rehman, further cementing their legacy in Indian cinema.
