Waheeda Rehman

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Her First step into fame Waheeda Rehman was born into a South Indian Tamil Muslim family. She was an intelligent student who aspired to be a doctor but also had passion for dance. Her father was a district commissioner. He provided her and her sister best of the dance training in Bharatnatyam from Guru Trichunder Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai and Guru Jayalaxmi Alva, both considered the doyens in their art. Once there was a grand cultural event in their home town and the governor of the state was the Chief Guest. During the event young Waheeda Rehman, who was just 4 years old, did a dance performance which was much applauded. The Governor pleased by young Waheeda Rehman’s dance predicted that she will make good name in the field of arts. The prediction turned true as after her father’s death at the age of 6 she was forced to earn bread for her family by joining South Indian films.

Her relation with Guru Dutt Waheeda Rehman was discovered by legendary filmmaker Guru Dutt and the duo did many films beginning from CID, Pyaasa, Chaudhvin Ka Chand, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam etc. During this phase the two come together and this was protested by Guru Dutt’s wife famous singer Geeta Dutt. In anger she had abandoned Dutt and left his house along with her children. Dutt who loved his children was allowed to meet his kids only once in a week and this distressed Dutt and in anguish he sought relief in Waheeda Rehman. While Rehman, it is reported, began keeping distance with Dutt, when she found the battle between Dutt and Mrs Dutt became intense due to her. Agonized by Waheeda’s distance and disappointed by his wife’s harsh attitude Guru Dutt committed suicide taking overdose of sleeping pills. Thus the relation between Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman ended on a rough note. Waheeda Rehman finds her sweet heart A young and handsome man called Shashi Rekhi came to Mumbai in connection with his garment business. Here he met his friend Yash Johar (father of filmmaker Karan Johar), who was also in garment business as well as films. Once, Yash Johar took Shashi to an outdoor shooting where Waheeda Rehman was shooting. Watching the bewitching beautiful Waheeda, Shashi fell in love with her. To win over Waheeda Rehman, Shashi Rekhi became an actor and did a film Shagoon (1964) as hero opposite her. His screen name was Kamaljit. During the shooting the two came close and got married. The movie failed and Shashi moved to Canada but allowed Waheeda to act in films. They had a successful married life. He died in 2000.

How Guru Dutt discovered Waheeda Rehman Once Guru Dutt and his close friend Abrar Alvi (Story writer cum director) were in Hyderabad for finalizing the remake rights of a Telugu hit film. The producer called them to their office. While they were discussing, suddenly there was a chaos on the road as people rushed behind a young and beautiful heroine. Dutt was wonderstruck and asked who the lady was. The producer informed that she was nobody special but a mere dancer who had become popular by her single dance performance in a Telugu film Rojulu Marayi. Guru Dutt was excited and went to see the film in a theater nearby. He was so mesmerized by Waheeda Rehman’s dance and beauty that he asked his assistants to hunt her and within a week he found Waheeda Rehman and gave her break in his film C.I.D. Waheeda Rehman proves her versatility; over scores the heroine in her debut film What makes Waheeda Rehman admirable is that though Geeta Dutt introduced her in his home production C.I.D. (1956) as a vamp. She over scored the heroine! Almost 60 years have passed when C.I.D. was released but still film buffs remember the seductive song Kahin Pe Nigahein Kahin Pe Nishana….where Waheeda Rehman seduces the villain and indirectly gestures the hero (Dev Anand) to escape. The superlative facial expression and the exceptional dance movements made her instant favorite of the masses. The movie became a box office success thanks to her song Kahin Pe Nigahein Kahin Pe Nishana…and Guru Dutt immediately escalated her from vamp to heroine in his next film Pyaasa (1957). The Guru Dutt – Waheeda Rehman Jodi becames popular Under the ace direction of Guru Dutt, Waheeda Rehman got the opportunity to explore her acting skills. Further her on-screen chemistry with Guru Dutt became successful among the masses. In Guru Dutt's masterpiece Pyaasa she stunned the audience with a powerful performance of a prostitute pouring the right nuances of love, desire and despair. In Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959) she played a film star, who falls in love with her mentor. Actually the film was an autobriographical account of love affair between Guru Dutt and her. In Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1960) she played a Muslim character speaking chaste Urdu. The jodi’s last film was Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962) as tinsel town was set ablaze with her and Dutt’s romance and this created gulf between Dutt and Mrs Geeta Dutt. Her association with film legend Satyajit Ray The silver lining in Waheeda Rehman’s career came when she was approached by none other but the legendary film wizard Satyajit Ray. Working under Satyajit Ray is regarded by every actor a life time opportunity. Hence despite being a huge star in Bollywood Waheeda Rehman cancelled all her dates to work with Satyajit Ray in his Bengali film Abhijan (1962). Though the film was not a great success but Waheeda Rehman had the grand pleasure of working with her idol filmmaker.