Waheeda Rehman was born on February 3, 1938, in Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India, into a Deccani Muslim family. She is the youngest of four daughters and was trained in Bharatanatyam during her childhood. Despite aspiring to become a doctor, she entered the film industry to support her family after her father's death in 1951. Waheeda made her acting debut in the Telugu film "Rojulu Marayi" (1955) and quickly gained recognition for her talent. She became a prominent figure in Hindi cinema through her collaborations with filmmaker Guru Dutt in classics like "Pyaasa" (1957) and "Guide" (1965), the latter of which earned her a Filmfare Award for Best Actress. Over her illustrious career spanning more than five decades, she has appeared in over 90 films, receiving multiple accolades including the National Film Award and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2023. Waheeda Rehman was married to Indian actor and filmmaker Kamaljeet Singh, but they divorced after a few years. She has one son, Sohail Rehman.