In an industry dominated by larger-than-life male superstars, Waheeda Rehman carved a place for herself with her graceful beauty, impeccable acting talents and willingness to portray strong female lead roles. She became not just one of most successful actresses of all time, but also left an indelible mark on Indian cinema.
Humble Beginnings
Born into a modest Muslim family in 1938 in Tamil Nadu, a young Waheeda dreamt of becoming a doctor. But a chance opportunity to perform Bharatnatyam led to a passion for dance and drama. She caught the eye of Guru Dutt in the mid-1950s during a stage performance which would ultimately change the course of her life.
"I was shaken to the core," recalled Waheeda of her first meeting with Guru Dutt. Despite lacking acting experience, India‘s most acclaimed director at the time was instantly mesmerized by her screen presence and raw talent.
In Waheeda‘s own words, "Guru Dutt told me ‘I will make you a star!‘. He kept his word."
Under Guru Dutt‘s guidance, Waheeda learned the tools of acting at his studio. Cast alongside Dev Anand, she made her inauspicious film debut in CID (1956). Despite middling success, it kickstarted one of the most memorable careers in the golden era of Bollywood.
The Guru Dutt Years
Waheeda Rehman‘s meteoric rise is inextricably linked to her legendary onscreen pairing with Guru Dutt. Through classics like Pyaasa (1957), Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959) and Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962), their chemistry blossomed into one of Indian cinema‘s most iconic.
As Satyajit Ray observed, "The way Guru Dutt utilized Waheeda‘s talents is commendable…he made her dance. And he understood that she is an actress who can dance rather than the other way around."
Indeed, Guru Dutt brought out Waheeda‘s innate artistry. As the beguiling prostitute Reshma who falls for the brooding poet Vijay (Guru Dutt) in Pyaasa, Waheeda turned in a deeply affecting performance. Cast in a role originally intended for Madhubala, she more than lived up to expectations and won acclaim all-around.
Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam presented her arguably career-defining role. As Jaba aka Chhoti Bahu, the young neglected wife of a debauched zamindaar (portrayed brilliantly by Rehman), Waheeda demonstrated both vulnerability and steely determination that earned her Best Actress nominations at Filmfare and BFJA Awards. She held her own against veterans like Meena Kumari and outshone them in critics‘ eyes.
Distinguished critic Subhash K Jha called it “the most astonishingly complex performance by an Indian actress” while lamenting that she lost the Filmfare trophy to Meena Kumari that year.
Art Imitates Life?
Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman‘s on-screen creations during this period were a result of a close real-life rapport. Contemporary tabloids were rife with gossip about an affair especially due to Guru Dutt‘s failing marriage to singer Geeta Dutt. While refusing to add fuel to rumors, Waheeda has chosen to maintain a diplomatic silence stating – "It is human nature to link people…Dutt and I were linked as we worked together."
In 1963, certain creative and personal differences led the actress to formally end ties with Dutt‘s production house. The next year, in 1964, Guru Dutt was found dead in an apparent suicide. Waheeda stepped in to complete his unfinished 1964 production ‘Love and God‘- her last tribute to her late mentor.
Through the most tumultuous period of her personal and professional life, Waheeda demonstrated tremendous dignity and strength of character. She extracted herself from controversy and channelized her grief into acting.
Non-Dutt Successes
While Guru Dutt may have been her original Svengali, Waheeda Rehman proved to be no one-hit wonder. She delivered a string of diverse hits in central roles that challenged stereotypes of how heroines should behave or be portrayed.
Opposite Dev Anand, her on-screen pairing was pure dynamite right from CID. Their palpable chemistry is credited by many for the massive box office success of their films together. Hit films like Solva Saal (1958), Kala Bazar (1960), Baat Ek Raat Ki (1962) and most famously Guide (1965) pitted Waheeda as the decisive, morally strong female lead against a usually duplicitous Dev.
In Guide, adapted from R.K. Narayan‘s acclaimed novel, her portrayal of Rosie, an unfulfilled wife who discovers liberation through dance is considered one of her finest. She won her first Filmfare Best Actress trophy for it. Reviewers universally praised her nuanced transition from a subdued housewife to confident artiste.
Playing a courtesan seemed to bring out Waheeda‘s best – whether Reshma in Pyassa or Gulabo in Mujhe Jeene Do (1963). Even in relatively subdued roles in Bees Saal Baad (1962) and Kohra (1964), Waheeda added shade, depth and mystery taking them beyond the script‘s requirements.
By the late 1960s, Waheeda consciously moved towards more powerful, author-backed roles. Her characters mirrored India‘s own evolution into a progressive, liberal worldview on women. In films like Teesri Kasam (1966), Neel Kamal (1968), Khamoshi (1969) and more, one sees Waheeda portray everything from village belles to mentally ill patients, all with ease and perfection of craft.
Awards and Recognition
Through the 1960s, Waheeda Rehman delivered at least one blockbuster hit and one acclaimed art film annually. Her cabinet brimmed over with trophies and commercial success. Beyond Guide, she won her second Filmfare Best Actress Award for Neel Kamal (1968) – a poignant story about a woman struggling with dissociative identity disorder.
Critics noted that much before mental health issues entered mainstream discourse, Waheeda sensitively essayed a mentally ill woman‘s trauma for which she also won her first BFJA award.
She finished the decade with her first National Award – the prestigious Silver Lotus – for her performance as a determined Bai in Reshma aur Shera (1972). The same year, she was recognized with the Padma Shri (1969) – India‘s fourth highest civilian honour – in recognition of her immense contribution to Indian cinema.
| Award | Film | Year |
| Filmfare Best Actress Award | Guide | 1965 |
| Filmfare Best Actress Award | Neel Kamal | 1968 |
| National Film Award for Best Actress | Reshma Aur Shera | 1971 |
| BFJA Award for Best Actress | Guide | 1966 |
| BFJA Award for Best Actress | Neel Kamal | 1968 |
| Padma Shri | – | 1969 |
Continuing to balance popular commercial successes alongside niche art-house cinema through the 1970s, Waheeda sailed through the gradual twilight of her film career with grace. Notable titles included a double role in the hit Ram Aur Shyam (1967), the iconic musical trilogy – Padosan (1968), Jyoti (1969) and Meri Bhabhi (1969) as well as acclaimed dramas like Prem Pujari (1970), Reshma Aur Shera (1971), Sharmilee (1971) among others.
40 years from her sparkling debut, she finally won the ultimate recognition – the Padmabhushan in 2011 from the Govt of India – for her significant and lasting contribution to Indian cinema.
Behind the Scenes
While the camera captures only her poise and glamour, behind the scenes Waheeda earned a reputation in the industry for professionalism, humility and willingness to go that extra mile for a good shot.
In Raj khosla‘s 1962 thriller Bees Saal Baad, the ever-smiling star reportedly completed an emotionally exhausting song sequence in a swamp crawling with snakes and scorpions without a single complaint or tantrum. Choreographer Surya Kumar recounts how Waheeda calmly pointed out a snake creeping up her leg even as she continued dancing barefoot!
Her suggestion to Guru Dutt regarding costumes and sets is believed to have significantly elevated the song quality in films like Pyaasa. Dutt gladly acknowledged "She has contributed tremendously in the making of Pyaasa".
Such dedication meant directors considered her a ‘director‘s actress‘ capable of bringing their vision to life flawlessly. Even today, actors half her age struggle to match Waheeda‘s tireless professional standards and humility.
A Match Made in Heaven
After years of speculation over her single status, Waheeda surprised all by tying the knot in 1974 with a Delhi-based businessman Kamaljeet. Despite a sea of fans and alleged affairs with co-stars, she opted for an arranged match on her own terms post-stardom.
By all accounts, it‘s been a happy and stable marriage rooted in understanding, space and trust – three pillars that have allowed her to balance family life and career post-marriage. Between homes in Delhi and Mumbai, the couple focus on spiritual contentment and simplicity.
Close friends reveal that after the chaos of films, Waheeda enjoys playing housewife, gardening and spending time with her loving husband away from the arc lights.
"I continue to be in films as I have certain obligations to complete. After that I shall be able to do what pleases me, probably take up social work or do something for handicapped children", she had shared in a 1978 interview after marriage.
Post-1978, one indeed sees Waheeda make some clever film choices interspersed with substantial gaps to focus on her family. Successful titles like Junoon (1978), Trishna (1978), Jyoti Bane Jwala (1980), Maati Maange Khoon (1984), divides opinion in India vindicated her choice. She finished the decade winning a Filmfare nomination for her portrayal of Bhagmati in 1989 film Vijay.
Now in her eighties, Waheeda continues to be fiercely private about her family life. She occasionally lights up the screen in cameo film appearances (Om Jai Jagadeesh in 2002) or TV shows (Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan in 2015) – proving that age is just a number for this timeless beauty!
Her marriage has sparked several return-from-retirement comebacks over the decades, showing that Waheeda continues to be the exception from convention in the world of showbiz marriages!
Lasting Legacy
In 2011, celebrating 50 glorious years since her debut film, the iconic star candidly summed up her journey:
"Main zindagi bhar issi kam main lage rahenge aur achhe kam main lage rahenge….I think I have done fairly well for myself. I have no regrets at all."
With a rich filmography spanning 100+ films across genres, ageless charisma and an entire generation of dedicated fans, Waheeda Rehman has most definitely ‘done well‘.
She gave us an array of memorable silver screen women – from the ethereal Gulabo to the rebellious Rosie who re-defined grace, strength and versatility at a time when cinema focused solely on the male star.
Waheeda Rehman pushed the envelope with author-backed roles in films like Guide and Mujhe Jeene Do that challenged society‘s notions of how an Indian heroine should behave on screen. In that sense, she was a pioneer.
Respected critic Rachel Dwyer summarized why Waheeda endures: “She was perfection on screen – exquisitely beautiful, a great dancer, and a very subtle actress."
Six decades since she blazed into our consciousness, Waheeda remains the gold standard for female actors. Hers is a captivating, inspiring story of humble beginnings, passion for the craft, professional excellence forged entirely through dedication. A story worth recounting for ages to come.