Waheeda Rehman receives inaugural centenary award

Waheeda Rehman is India’s most beautiful and a famous actress of Indian cinema. Her ethereal beauty and chiselled features attracted the great director Guru Dutt whose black and white camera  fell in love with her. Totally besotted with Waheeda on screen and off screen Guru Dutt made some of the most memorable movies of the golden era of Indian films. In classics like ‘Pyaasa’, ‘Kaagaz Ke Phool’, ‘Guide’  and  ‘Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam’, Waheeda became a sought after actress as her stars touched the zenith of stardom as she ruled millions of hearts while Guru Dutt’s went downhill when  he depicted the real life story of a film director who gives a break to a budding starlet enacted by Waheeda in ‘Kagaz Ke Phool’. The famous song ”˜Waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitm’ still echoes in our hearts as his character dies in the director’s chair and Waheeda Rehman became a phenomenon. She finally settled into a married homelife with her husband Shashi Rekhi (screen name Kamaljeet) with whom she made only one movie ”˜Shagoon’.

The Veteran actress   got a standing ovation as she received the inaugural Centenary Award for Indian Film Personality of the Year at the  opening ceremony  of the International Film Festival of India  (IFFI) being held in Goa at present. Earlier she is the recipient of many awards and honours including Padma Bhushan  in 2011 and Mumbai Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.
On November 22, the 77-year-old actress received a standing ovation as she was felicitated on-stage by Bollywood  star  Rani Mukerji  in recognition of her unparalleled contribution to  Indian cinema.

The Government of India has instituted the award to commemorate 100 years of  Indian Cinema  and  Rehman  said she is thrilled to be the first recipient of this prestigious honour.

 

Actor Kamal Hassan escorts Waheeda Rehman for the honour (Pic by Manju Mittal)

“I am really humbled to receive such a great honour. I would like to thank the jury who suggested my name. I would like to thank all the people who I have worked with so far. My directors, producers, make-up artistes, technicians. Thank you for a wonderful journey,” an emotional Rehman said after receiving the honour.

She was awarded with a citation, a certificate, a medal (silver peacock), a shawl and a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh.

Several Bollywood stars, who attended the glitzy ceremony, congratulated Waheeda Rehman for her long innings in cinema.

 

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