Waheeda, Shashi, Khayyam gets Padma Bhushan

New Delhi: Veteran composer Khayyam, the man behind the soulful music in "Kabhi kabhie nere dil mein" and "Dil cheez kya hai", has been honoured with the Padma Bhushan, the nation`s third highest civilian award, on the eve of the Republic Day.

Born Mohammed Zahur "Khayyam" Hashmi in pre-independent Punjab, the 84-year-old worked in the Hindi film industry from 1953 to 1990 and scored music for more than 30 movies. He shot to fame with Raj Kapoor and Mala Sinha starrer "Phir Subah Hogi" 1958 and later churned out hits like "Aaja re o mere dilbar aaja" for "Noorie" (1979), "Aankhon mein humne aapke" for "Thodi Si Bewafaai" (1980), "Dikhai diye yun ki bekhud kiya" for "Bazaar" (1982), "Aye dile nadaan" and "Jalta hai badan" for "Razia Sultan" (1983). He has won three Filmfare Awards for "Kabhi Kabhie" (1977), "Umrao Jaan" (1982) and a lifetime achievement in 2010. He was awarded the 2007 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in Creative Music by India`s national academy for music, dance and theatre. Along with Khyyam, the ethereal Waheeda Rehman, best known for her performances in movies like "Pyaasa" and "Guide", has been chosen to receive the Padma Bhushan, the nation`s third highest civilian award, on the eve of Republic Day. Waheeda, currently not in India, was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, in 1972. Born into a Muslim family in Tamil Nadu, the 74-year-old veteran started her tryst with Indian cinema with Telugu film "Jayasimha" in 1955 and a year later made her debut in Bollywood with "C.I.D", in which she played a small role. A Guru Dutt discovery, Waheeda got her big break in her mentor`s "Pyaasa" and later she featured in his cinematic masterpieces like "Kaagaz Ke Phool", "Chaudhvin Ka Chand" and "Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam". Waheeda also featured in "Guide" with Dev Anand. Based on R.K. Narayan`s novel, it is considered a most remarkable movie for its screenplay, direction, performances and music. In fact the film bagged all the main Filmfare awards of the year including the actress for her. She is also known for her dance and one sees her graceful moves in songs like "Paan khaye sainyaan hamaro", "Kaanton se kheench ke yeh aanchal" and "Piya tose naina". She continued to do various films through the 1970s and 1980s, but after "Lamhe" in 1991, she took a long sabbatical. It was only over a decade later that she returned to the big screen with projects like "Om Jai Jagadish", "Water", "Rang De Basanti" and "Delhi 6". Waheeda won her first National Award for her performance in the 1971 film "Reshma Aur Shera". She has received accolades and awards galore during her over five-decade-long movie career including Filmfare best actress trophy for "Neel Kamal" in 1968. She received the Filmfare lifetime achievement award in 1994, and is also a recipient of the NTR National award for 2006. Then Shashi Kapoor, one of the most charming actors of his time, was Tuesday named for the Padma Bhushan, the nation`s third highest civilian award, on the eve of Republic Day. The 72-year-old, who is not keeping well and moves in and out of hospital in Mumbai, charmed Hindi moviegores with films like "Jab Jab Phool Khile", "Waqt", "Silsila", "Deewar", "Kabhi Kabhie" and "Satyam Shivam Sundaram". He also featured in international projects titled "The Householder", "Shakespearewallah" and "Heat and Dust". In his more than six-decade-long career, Shashi Kapoor also ventured into production and made films like "Junoon", "Kalyug", "Utsav", "36 Chowringhee Lane" and "Vijeta". He also produced and directed "Ajooba". IANS