Actor Waheeda Rehman, popularly known for her roles in Pyaasa, Kaagaz Ke Phool, and CID among others, is to receive the prestigious 53rd Dadasaheb Phalke award, Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting Anurag Thakur announced on Monday, September 25. The actor, who hails from the Chengalpet district in Tamil Nadu, made a name for herself in the Bollywood film industry after doing a handful of early roles in Telugu and Tamil cinema. Her acting debut was in 1955, with the Telugu movie Rojulu Marayi.
In a statement, while announcing the award, Anurag Thakur said, “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.”
Anurag Thakur also added, “Waheeda ji has been critically acclaimed for her roles in Hindi films, prominent among them, Pyaasa, Kaagaz ke Phool, Chaudhavi Ka Chand, Saheb Biwi Aur Ghulam, Guide, Khamoshi, and several others. In her career spanning over five decades, she has essayed her roles with extreme finesse, leading to a National Film Award for her role as a clanswoman in the film Reshma Aur Shera. A Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awardee, Waheeda ji has exemplified dedication, commitment, and the strength of a Bharatiya Nari who can achieve the highest level of professional excellence with her hard work.”
The minister further noted that the award is a fitting tribute to Waheeda Rehman’s legacy. “At a time when the historic Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam 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.”
Presented by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting under the Directorate of Film Festivals, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award is considered to be India’s highest film award. The award was first introduced by the Union government in 1969 to commemorate Dadasaheb Phalke’s contribution to Indian cinema. Popularly known as the Father of Indian cinema, director, producer, and screenwriter Dhundiraj Govind Phalke made his debut with India’s first full-length movie Raja Harishchandra.
Other notable recipients of the award in recent times include Rajinikanth in 2021, Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan who received it in the year 2018, actor turned politician Vinodh Khanna in 2017, and director K Vishwanath in 2017.