Guide To Khamoshi: The Best Of Waheeda Rehman

As Waheeda Rehman celebrated her accolade, here is a look at some of her finest work which helped establish her as one of the most prolific and diversely talented actors of Hindi cinema

New Delhi: Legendary actor Waheeda Rehman received the Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award on Tuesday which also happens to be Dev Anand's 100th birth anniversary.  Waheeda Rehman has been felicitated with the Padma Shri and Padma Vibhushan( India's civilian awards) and now has received the highest award in the field of cinema. Her career spans an impressive five decades with roles and performances listed as the best films and roles of the 20th century across the world.

As the veteran actor celebrated her accolade, here is a look at some of her finest work which helped establish her as one of the most prolific and diversely talented actors who could portray an array of roles- both negative and positive.

Guide

Waheeda Rehman won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for Guide( 1965). Rehman's performance as the repressed wife of a wealthy archaeologist. The film 'Guide' and Waheeda Rehman's performance have been widely acclaimed by all. In an interview with Times of India many years ago, Waheeda Rehman had shared that the role was rather difficult for her as it broke 'several film stereotypes' at the time.

Bees Saal Baad

This psychological thriller was a loose adaptation of the Bengali thriller 'Jighansa'( 1951). The film was a box office hit and Waheeda Rehman's performance was widely acclaimed by critics and audiences alike.

Kaagaz Ke Phool

'Kaagaz Ke Phool' was the first Indian film in CinemaScope. Starring Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman in the lead, the film was a box office disaster only to become a cult favourite now in the 80s. However, 'Kaagaz Ke Phool' is now regarded as one of the best films of all time by several reputed film journals and publications across the world finding its way in the syllabi of many film schools. 

C.I.D.

C.I.D. is often considered to be one of the best thrillers to come out of Hindi cinema. The film starring Dev Anand, Johnny Walker and Waheeda Rehman was a big box office hit. The film also happened to be Waheeda Rehman's screen debut.

Waheeda Rehman’s debut in ‘C.I.D.’ s regarded as one of Bollywood’s best debuts of all times by several publications on films.

Neel Kamal

Neel Kamal is a romantic thriller starring Waheeda Rehman in the lead alongside Manoj Kumar and Raaj Kumar. The film was a critical and commercial success. Waheeda Rehman also won several accolades in India and abroad for her performance in the film.

Khamoshi

Khamoshi, based on the Bengali short story titled 'Nurse Mitra' by noted Bengali writer Ashutosh Mukherjee is a remake of Asit Sen's own Bengali film 'Deep Jwele Jaai'. The film was a box office hit at urban centres and was appreciated a lot for its cinematography. In the film, Waheeda Rehman's performance as a mentally and emotionally disturbed nurse( Radha) is regarded as one of the best performances by the veteran actor.