Happy birthday to Padmabhushan Wahida Rehman

Happy birthday to Padmabhushan Wahida Rehman.

The viewers of bollywood films wish happy birthday to legendary actress Wahida Rehman on 3rd February, 2010. She had played a marathon innings in bollywood films right from the 50s till today. She had recently won the Civilian award Padmabhushan on 26th January, 2011, that is republic day.

In the mid-50s, she cemented her position in bollywood films after giving hits after hits in Guru Dutt’s films. In CID, which was produced by Guru Dutt, she played the role of a seductive character who ultimately led to unfolding of truth relating to murder mystery. She acted opposite Dev Anand and balanced him with her powerful performance. In Pyasa, she played the role of a tawaif who gave shelter to Guru Dutt, an eminent poet in the film. The legendary pair was created in that film and songs like “jane kya” sung Geeta Dutt, “yeh mahalon yeh takhton” sung Rafi became evergreen hits.

Although Kagaz Ka Phool did not do well in the box-office, both Guru Dutt and Wahida Rehman received critical acclamation for their powerful performances in the film. Again hit songs like “waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam” sung by Geeta Dutt and “bichar gaya bari bari” sung by Rafi and composed by SD Burman became landmark songs of the period.

Chaudavi Ka Chaand, marked the most successful film depicting the romantic association of Wahida Rehman and Guru Dutt. Rafi’s song “chaudavi ka chaand” composed by Ravi was dedicated towards Wahida Rehman. The muslim pardanashin community was well depicted by Wahida Rehman in the film. She again did well in the film Saheb Bibi Aur Ghulam opposite Meena Kumari and Guru Dutt. It was an adaptation of Uttam Kumar’s legendary Bengali film Saheb Bibi Ghulam directed by Karthik Chatterji. Wahida Rehman played the role of Jaba, which was played by Anubha Gupta in the Bengali film Saheb Bibi Ghulam.

All time great director Satyajit Ray experimented with Wahida Rehman in the role of a rural woman in the film Abhijan in the early 60s. Wahida Rehman’s broken Bengali having hindi accent attracted the attention of the intellectual viewers. In the 60s she transformed herself into a glamorous heroine.

Her second innings included hit films opposite Raj Kapoor like Ek Dil Sau Afsana, Teesri Kasam, superhit films opposite Dev Anand like Guide, Prem Pujari, and everlasting films opposite Dilip Kumar like Ram Aur Shyam, Aadmi, Dil Diya Dard Liya, to name a few. In Teesri Kasam, Wahida Rehman played the role of nautanki dancer who was attached to a cart driver played by Raj Kapoor.

The songs in these films composed by Shankar Jaikishan, Naushad, SD Burman, etc. created history. The hit songs of Teesri Kasam included “o aa aa bhi jha”, “paan khai saiya”, “mare gaye gulfam”, the hit songs of Guide included “piya tose naina lagere”, “aaj phir jeene ki tamanna hai”, the hit songs of Ram Aur Shyam included “aaye hai barahen meete zulmon sitam. Wahida Rehman’s dancing skills were also exhibited in these films.

She was even sublime in films like Mujhe Jeene Do, Reshma Aur Shera, opposite Sunil Dutt, Bees Saal Baad and Kohra, opposite Biswajeet, Neel Kamal opposite Raj Kumar, Dharti opposite Rajender Kumar, Patthar Ke Sanam opposite Manoj Kumar, to name a few.

Articles after articles can be devoted to the legendary actress who had same box-office popularity like that of legendary star Meena Kumari and Madhubala. Directors like Asit Sen experimented with her in the film Khamoshi, Gulzar experimented with her in the film Namkeen, Yash Chopra experimented with her in the film Kabhi Kabhi.

Viewers had seen her character acting in films like Mashal opposite Dilip Kumar in the 80s to Dilli 6, that was released in 2009. Increase in age had increased her variety of performance and she has been growing old gracefully. The viewers expect her to continue the monumental performances that she had been giving for the last 60 years. Viewers pay respect and regard to the living legend.

Shahrukh Khan and Kajol won the filmfare awards in 2011.

Shahrukh Khan and Kajol won the filmfare awards in 2011.

It was Shahrukh Khan again who had won the filmfare award for the best actor in 2011. He won it for the performance in the film My Name is Khan. Kajol won the filmfare award for the best actress for the performance in the film My Name is Khan. Karan Johar won the filmfare award for the best director for the film My Name is Khan. The film had a great social message and depicted the way certain communities are treated in the 1st world.

Shahrukh Khan won the award for the best actor the 8th time equaling Dilip Kumar’s record. After the major awards being given to My Name is Khan there is no point in at all providing the award for the best film to Dabaang. Besides as Salman Khan did not get the award for the best actor (male) in Dabaang, the other performers in the film winning the awards looked very awkward. Sonakshi Sinha won the award for the best newcomer female. Definitely if Dabaang had done business worth Rs 150 crores, then the acting charishma of Salman Khan had pulled it rather than the insignificant awards for other categories.

Sajid Wajid won the award for the best composer for their music in the film Dabaang. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan won the award for the best male playback singer while the best female playback singer award went to Mamta Sharma for “munni badnaam hui” and Sunidhi Chauhan for “Sheila ki jawani”.

But the Critics choice awards had some rationality behind them. Rishi Kapoor won the award for the best actor for his performance in the film Do Dooni Char. Rishi Kapoor almost represented the sniffles of a middle-class Indian in the film, a role which during the 70s, Amol Palekar or Farooq Sheikh would have been happy to have played.

Vidya Balan won the Critics choice award for the best actress for her performance in the film Ishqiya. Critics appreciated the film to a big extent. Manna Dey won the lifetime achievement award. He had contributed in Indian films for the last 60 years, and sung probably the most difficult songs ever composed in the history of bollywood films. Gulzar had won the award for best lyrics for “ibn batuta” in the film Ishqiya, while the film Udaan won a number of technical awards.

Filmfare awards still raises many eyebrows. Those actors who had won national awards during a number of occasions like Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Smita Patil, etc., very rarely featured in the best actor category of filmfare awards. Composers like Madanmohan, actors like Pradeep Kumar, Guru Dutt, actresses like Sadhna, had never won any filmfare awards. If hard work and generosity had won the awards for most of the recipients, sometimes luck also played a big role in bringing the award for many bollywood personalities.

Dhobi Ghaat had remained an excellent project.

Dhobi Ghaat had remained an excellent project.

Aamir Khan had proved his inclination of acting only in films which have very strong social message and are meaningful to the mass. For those reasons the people at large appreciated his contemporary films including Tare Zameen Par, The Three Idiots, etc. Dhobi Ghaat had been no exception.

The film had been directed by Kiran Rao. Aamir Khan, Prateik Babbar, Monica Dogra and Kriti Malhotra are the major actors and actresses in the film. Aamir Khan had produced the film.

Aamir Khan played the role of a lonely painter in the film. Monica Dogra played the role of an American Banker who had come to visit Mumbai. Prateik Babbar was a washerboy who stayed close to Aamir Khan.

The story of the film revolved around the lives of the four characters Aamir Khan, Monica Dogra, Prateik Babbar and Kriti Malhotra whose lives got interwined with one another. Every performer in the film had played their roles very well.

Other artists like Kitu Gidwani, Nafisa Khan had played their roles also well. The music of the film has been given by Gustavo Santaollala. Critics had appreciated the movie to a big extent. The shooting had taken place I different parts of Mumbai.

Whether the film does a good business or not; directors, producers and actors should be encouraged to make films like Dhobi Ghaat.