Veteran Bollywood actress Waheeda Rehman, aged 85, has been honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2021 by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s Directorate of Film Festivals. This prestigious award is given in recognition of her exceptional contribution to the advancement and enrichment of Indian cinema.
Born on February 3, 1938, Rehman has been a part of the Indian film industry since 1955, marking her debut as a dancer in the Telugu social drama Rojulu Marayi. According to Nasreen Munni Kabir’s biography Conversations with Waheeda Rehman, the film’s song ‘Eruvako sagaro ranno chinnanna’ became immensely popular, propelling Rehman to the same level of fame as the movie’s main stars, Akkineni Nageswara Rao (ANR) and Sowcar Janaki.
While announcing Rehman’s selection on microblogging site X, I&B Minister Anurag Thakur had linked her big win with the recently passed women’s reservation Bill in the Parliament, saying, “Waheeda ji has exemplified dedication, commitment and the strength of a Bharatiya Nari … 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.”
The actress, as she got up on stage to receive the prestigious award, was visibly emotional. She was honoured with a standing ovation. She dedicated the award to the entire film industry, saying that an actor is nothing without the support of all the departments of filmmaking including directors, makeup artists, music composers and others. Taking to the stage, she said, “I feel very honoured, very humbled. Magar aj jis mukaam pe main khadi hu, yeh saara meri pyari industry ki wajah se. Mujhe luckily, bahut achhe, top producers, directors, filmmakers, technicians, dialogue writers, music directors aur sangeetkaar – sabka sahara mila. Sabne izzat di, pyar diya. Aur akhiri mein, makeup artists, hair aur costume banane waalon ka bhi bahut haath hota hai. Isiliye, yeh main award, apne priya film industry ke saare departments ke saath share karna chahti hu. Koi bhi ek insaan ek poori picture nehi bana sakta, un sab ko hum sabki zarurat hoti hai (But the position I stand at today is all because of my beloved industry. Luckily, I received immense support from excellent producers, directors, filmmakers, technicians, dialogue writers, music directors and composers – everyone stood by me. They gave me respect and love. And finally, the contribution of makeup artists, hairstylists and costume designers cannot be ignored. That’s why I want to share this award with all the departments of my dear film industry. No single person can make an entire film; we all need each other).”
The packed auditorium reverberated with applause as the actress received the award from the Honourable President of India, Droupadi Murmu.
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