Waheeda Rehman to be conferred with Dadasaheb Phalke Award

NEW DELHI: Veteran actor Waheeda Rehman will be honoured with this year's Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest recognition in the field of Indian cinema, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur said on Tuesday.

Regarded as one of India's finest actors, Rehman is best known for films including 'Pyaasa', 'CID', 'Guide', 'Kaagaz Ke Phool', 'Khamoshi' and 'Trishul'.

Thakur took to his official X account to make the announcement. ''I feel an immense sense of happiness and honour in announcing that Waheeda Rehman ji is being bestowed with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award this year for her stellar contribution to Indian Cinema,'' the Minister wrote.

Rehman, 85, made her acting debut with the 1955 Telugu films 'Rojulu Maraayi' and 'Jayasimha'. She made her Hindi cinema debut with 'CID', the 1956 film headlined by Dev Anand.

In a career spanning over five decades, the legendary actor has worked in more than 90 films across languages. She received a National Film Award for her role as a clanswoman in 'Reshma and Shera' (1971). She is already the recipient of Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan.

''At a time when the historic Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam has been passed by Parliament, 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. I congratulate her and humbly pay my regards to her rich body of work that is an intrinsic part of our film history,'' Thakur further said in his post on the microblogging site.

Rehman was last seen in 'Skater Girl', a 2021 coming-of-age sports drama.