News Lifestyle 'Conversations With Waheeda Rehman' book review: The endearing story of a remarkable actress

'Conversations With Waheeda Rehman' book review: The endearing story of a remarkable actress

Book: Conversations With Waheeda Rehman; Author: Nasreen Munni Kabir; Publisher: Penguin-Viking; Pages: 227; Price: Rs 499.She has done some of the most unconventional roles in Indian cinema - a prostitute, a gangster's moll, a tawaif,




Waheeda was the female lead in most of Guru Dutt's films, and Kabir manages to draw her out on the professional relationship that led to such masterpieces such as "Pyaasa", "Kagaaz ke Phool", "Sahib, Bibi aur Ghulam" and "Chaudhvin Ka Chand". Kabir has written a book on Guru Dutt earlier but Waheeda's account helps to provide a fuller, more nuanced account of the man and the filmmaker.

The book, very readable and enlivened with several rare photographs, is replete with many other illuminating accounts of Waheeda's work with other legends of Indian cinema - of Bollywood and even beyond including Satyajit Ray. It also chronicles her brush with Hollywood viz the English version of the cinematic adaption of R.K.Narayan's "Guide".

However, "Conversations with Waheeda Rehman" could have added some more value by drawing more on her recollections of other cinematic stars she worked with and remembers with affection - the excellent but masterfully restrained Rehman is an example.