Indian movie actress Waheeda Rehman was born in a traditional Urdu speaking family in Hydrabad in 1936. In her childhood she had some infection in her lungs and because of that she could not attend proper schooling. She was trained in Bharatnatyam dance form. With the help of her parents she joined the silver screen with the Telugu film `Jaisimha` in the year 1955, followed by `Rojulu Maraayi` in the same year. Guru Dutt cast her in a later film and brought her to Mumbai. Raj Khosla gave her the role of a courtesan in his directorial venture C.I.D. in the year 1956.

Being an accomplished Bharatnatyam dancer Waheeda Rehman created a magical spell with her song `Kahin Pe Nigahein Kahin Pe Nishana` as she played the tricky seductress to lure the villain away. Soon after she was casted in Guru Dutt`s film `Pyasa` where she played the lead role. Pyaasa gave Waheeda Rehman a strong position in Bollywood. An unsuccessful love affair has been started between Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman, which ended in Guru Dutt`s suicide in 1964. By that time they have successfully completed many films like `Chaudhvin Ka Chand`, `Solva Saal`, `Twelve O` Clock`, `Kaala Baazar`, etc. The story of the tragedy king Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman has somewhat depicted in the screenplay of `Kagaz Ke Phool`. In that movie a successful director falls from grace after falling in love for his leading lady, the storyline of the movie overshadowed events in Guru Dutt`s own life as well. After her stint with Guru Dutt she worked with legendary director Satyajit Ray in his film `Abhijaan` but could not make a mark. In 1965 she acted in a landmark movie of her career `Guide` opposite to Dev Anand. Guide won her international critical acclaim as an actress. Her captivating performances in `Pathar Ke Sanam` in 1967 and `Neel Kamal` in 1968 affirmed her as an undisputed monarch of her domain.

Some of the famous films of Waheeda Rehman can be mentioned as `Ram Aur Shyam`, `Kabhi Kabhi`, `Bees Saal Baad`, `Prem Pujari`, `Mujhe Jeene Do`, `Kohra`, `Teesri Kasam`, `Khamoshi`, `Reshma Aur Shera`, and `Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam`. In these films, she played roles ranging from spectacular to very average ones. In the year of 1974 she married to a fellow actor and a businessman Kamaljit and settled for a quiet life on a farmhouse adjacent to Bangalore. Waheeda was blessed with two children Sohail and Kashvi. In 2000 her husband died of illness and she moved back to Mumbai. Post marriage she appeared in `Kabhi Kabhie`, `Adalat`, `Namak Halal`, `Chaandhi` and `Lamhe`. She was to figure in the latest multi-starrer flick `Kabhie Khushi Kabhi Gaam` but the sad demise of her husband could not make it happen. But to the delight of her fans, she acted in `Om Jai Jagdish`, where she played the mother of trio Anil Kapoor, Fardeen Khan and Abhishek Bachhan. She is going to be seen in a satirical comedy `Brides Wanted` very soon. The story of the film is based upon the effects of neo-socio- cultural transformations that are taking place in the social structure of NRI Diaspora.

In recent days she has worked in `Water`, `Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara`, `15 Park Avenue`, and `Rang De Basanti`. Bollywood actress Waheeda Rehman is an excellent human being who looks after her family besides, lending a helping hand to a Mumbai based charity called Pratham. In October 2004, a Waheeda Rehman film retrospective was held at the Seattle Art Museum and the University of Washington where Waheeda participated in spirited panel and audience discussions on her most memorable films, `Pyaasa`, `Teesri Kasam` and `Guide`. Her film `Pyasa` is a part of academic course at the University of Toronto. The film has also been selected as one of the five Indian movies that have been chosen out of 100 world movies. She is the favourite actress of Amitabh Bachchan as well as his son Abhishek Bachchan.

Waheeda Rehman got the Filmfare best actress award for `Guide` in 1965 and `Neel Kamal` in 1968. She got the National Award for `Reshma Aur Shera`. She was nominated for best actress as well as best supporting actress many a times and this includes `Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam`, `Ram Aur Shyam`, `Khamoshi`, `Kabhi Kabhie`, `Namkeen`, and `Lamhe`.