Feel The Love! Waheeda Rehman

As a young Bollywood connoisseur, I started my serious film watching at 16 because I discovered old movies rocked, I had watched tons of them when I was younger laughing and enjoying and gawking at the masala, and masti. And shamelessly copying the ideo of Memsaab's Asha P post i had to do the same! But the one actress thats my absolute favorite is the gorgeous Waheeda RehmanLooking gorgeous in Chaudvin Ka Chand

There are so many gorgeous and wonderful things about Waheeda that make me such a fan! And here's some films and quirks I just love about her, we go:

• She is a wonderful dancer, especially in my one of my favorites Guide, and the naagin dance that was just so energetic, I felt I had a workout with her too! And the gorgeous picturisations in that movie just enhance her great dancing. What a great showcase-though more in the first half!
Some Fabulous dancing in Guide

• Waheeda was discovered by her love and mentor Guru Dutt, they were my first introduction to the great part of Bollywood in the 50's, when i first watched Pyaasa. That role was so well-done by Waheeda, and the small nuances and cute scornful looks especially in the scene where her street-walker character is thrown from a car, apparently that was the first shot she ever took in the movie. She was so Paro-like in that movie, devoted to her Vijay the poet and being the one person that is uncorrupted by selling his poems.
The enchanting stare!


• But i think my personal favorite would be Waheeda in Kaagaz Ke Phool, though some may see it as her playing herself in Guru Dutt's heavily autobiographical classic, its just an amazing performance, she goes through everything with her man and still doesn't get him in the end, because of his daughter's meddling and his irrational demands. This is the only movie where i shouted "LET THEM BE TOGETHERR!!" this may be the only extra marital affair I condone because the man is estranged from his wife then falls for the simple and natural Waheeda, and they definitely neeeeeed eachother! Dammit Naaz why did you break them up, you brat! But Waheeda was just so good in this performance that as usual i ran to the aunty dvdwallah and got all the Guru-Waheeda films!
The cutest lady behind the purdah!


• And then the glory project that Guru did for Waheeda was Chaudvin Ka Chand, and by God she is the most bewitching and prettiest thing in that movie. Its no surprise Rehman did all that gazing at her and the film suggested voyeurism can be risky but heck if its Waheeda then the camera can bathe in beautiful lighting and lovely clothes and put her in colour for the title song to see those red lips and those tresses! A man's delight! In this movie despite the focus on the lovelorn Rehman and Guru, she was a strong woman who didn't like all this fighting over her and did everything she could to make her husband not feel bad for taking her from his friend.!
The noir Vamp Waheeda in CID

• There are soo many movies I've loved Waheeda in and its all because of her versatility. You can completely see her as the femme fatale vamp in CID and as a village girl in Reshma aur Shera, which I really need to see again because it makes sure that both Sunil Dutt and Waheeda get strong roles as two star crossed lovers, in other movies like this the girls always weep and cry and die first. But Reshma is strong about her love and I totally believed in that love story!
• Another favorite is her role in Kabhi Kabhie, she was unfortunately persecuted by Amitabh for having another daughter but it was that she had a past that she did forget and while he had a past that he kept holding onto. Waheeda did a great job as the conflicted maa and put upon wife!
• Even in later roles like Mashaal as Dilip Kumar's wife, she charms and mothers ANil till he comes around and behaves himself, or as ANil's nanny who teaches him to love India and a certain individual! And she had a small role in Dehli 6, which was a bad movie but she and the cast elevated it yet again

Here's to Waheeda being the most elegant star in my mind, while I must do a post on my style icon Saira Banu!