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Waheeda Rehman Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 14, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth3 February 1938

Age87 Years

BirthplaceChingleput, Madras Presidency, British India

ProfessionIndian Actress

NationalityIndian

Marital statusWidow

SpouseKamaljeet

FamilyFather - Abdul Rehman; Mother - Mumtaz Begum; Sisters - Sayeeda Malik, Shahida, Zahida; Children - Sohail Rekhi (son), Kashvi Rekhi (daughter)

Waheeda Rehman Biography

Waheeda Rehman is an acclaimed Indian actress whose career began in the mid-1950s. Known for her performances across Telugu, Tamil and Hindi cinema, she is

Early life and background

Waheeda Rehman was born on 3 February 1938 in Chengalpattu (then part of Madras Presidency, British India). She grew up in a Dakhini Muslim family; her father worked as a district commissioner and died when she was in her teens. Rehman trained in Bharatanatyam while living in Chennai, studying the classical dance that later opened the door to film work.

As a young woman she had hoped to become a doctor, but ongoing illness prevented her from pursuing that path. Dance remained a passion and became the route into cinema: a small dancing role in a Telugu production brought her to wider notice and ultimately led to opportunities in the film industry.

Career

Rehman made her screen debut in Telugu cinema with the 1955 film Jayasimha and appeared in the Tamil film Kaalam Maari Pochu the same year. Her first Hindi appearance came in CID (1956). Early in her career she attracted the attention of filmmaker Guru Dutt, who brought her to Mumbai and cast her in his production of CID. Dutt became an important mentor figure and worked with her on multiple projects.

Over the following decades Rehman established herself as a versatile performer, moving fluidly between genres and playing a wide range of roles. She earned critical recognition for her work in Hindi cinema, winning the Filmfare Award for Best Actress for Guide (1967) and again for Neel Kamal (1968). Her performance in Reshma Aur Shera was honoured with the National Film Award for Best Actress (1971). She also received long-career recognition, including a Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994.

Government and industry honours have acknowledged her contribution to Indian cinema. Rehman was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2001. In October 2023 she received the Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award. Other recognitions listed in her career include the NTR National Award (2006) and multiple awards from the Bengal Film Journalists’ Association.

Across generations, Rehman played both romantic and maternal roles; notable examples include performances opposite Amitabh Bachchan in Adalat (1976) and Trishul (1978), where she played his romantic interest and later his mother. She continued to be respected for moving between youthful and mature characters with equal credibility.

Public profile

Rehman’s personal life has occasionally intersected with her public image. She married actor Kamaljeet (born Shashi Rekhi) on 27 April 1974; the marriage lasted until his death in 2000. They have two children, a son named Sohail Rekhi and a daughter named Kashvi Rekhi. She is identified as Muslim and as having a longstanding friendship and professional rapport with co-actor Dev Anand, whom she has described as a favourite collaborator.

Physical and personal details commonly reported about her list her height at approximately 160 cm (5'3") and weight around 55 kg. Her eye colour is recorded as black and her hair as white in later years. Rehman has named music, photography and cooking among her hobbies, and she is known to enjoy making sevayya, a sweet dish she prepares for Eid.

Rehman has also supported charitable efforts; she serves as an ambassador for Rang De, a non-profit organization that works to alleviate poverty.

Latest updates

In the later stages of her career and life, Waheeda Rehman has been honoured with major lifetime awards recognizing decades of contribution to Indian cinema, most recently receiving the Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award in October 2023. She remains a widely respected figure for both her body of work and her continuing involvement in cultural and charitable activities.
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Recent Work

Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award

Recipient of India's highest film honour recognizing her lifetime contribution to cinema.

2023
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Career Highlights

  1. Debuted in Telugu cinema with Jayasimha (1955) and in Hindi with CID (1956).
  2. Won Filmfare Best Actress for Guide (1967) and Neel Kamal (1968).
  3. Won National Film Award for Best Actress for Reshma Aur Shera (1971).
  4. Awarded Padma Bhushan (2001) and Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award (2023).
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Waheeda Rehman born?

3 February 1938

What is Waheeda Rehman known for?

Indian Actress

What is Waheeda Rehman’s marital status?

Widow

Who is Waheeda Rehman married to?

Kamaljeet