Waheeda Rehman to be conferred Dadasaheb Phalke Award for contributions to Indian cinema

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has announced that veteran actor Waheeda Rehman will be honoured this year’s Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award. Waheeda Rehman is regarded as one of India’s finest actors and is best known for her roles in films like “Pyaasa”, “CID”, “Guide”, “Kaagaz Ke Phool”, “Khamoshi” and “Trishul”, “Chaudhvin Ka Chand” and “Teesri Kasam”.

Taking to X, I&B Minister Anurag Thakur wrote, “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,”.

Minister continued, “Waheeda ji has been critically acclaimed for her roles in Hindi films, prominent among them, Pyaasa, Kaagaz ke Phool, Chaudhavi Ka Chand, Saheb Biwi Aur Ghulam, Guide, Khamoshi and several others. In her career spanning over 5 decades, she has essayed her roles with extreme finesse, leading to a National Film Award for her role as a clanswoman in the film Reshma and Shera. A Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awardee, Waheeda ji has exemplified dedication, commitment and the strength of a Bharatiya Nari who can achieve the highest level of professional excellence with her hardwork,”.

Dadasaheb Phalke Award was introduced by the Government of India to commemorate Dadasaheb Phalke’s contribution to Indian cinema who directed India’s first full-length feature film, Raja Harishchandra in 1913. Honoured with the highest award in the field of cinema, the recipients are recognized for their ‘outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema’. The award comprises a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a shawl, and a cash prize of ₹10 lakh.

Last year, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award was conferred on veteran Bollywood star Asha Parekh for her exemplary lifetime contribution to Indian Cinema. The other recipients of the prestigious award include Rajinikanth, Amitabh Bachchan, Gulzar, Pran, Prithviraj Kapoor, Manoj Kumar, Shashi Kapoor, Manna Dey, and Vinod Khanna (posthumously), among others.