Throwback to when Waheeda Rehman refused to change her name in Bollywood, said “Who are you to tell me that it’s not good?” hitting back at Guru Dutt

Waheeda Rehman recalls standing her ground in Bollywood debut

Table of ContentsWaheeda: “Guru Dutt ji told me they wanted to change my name”When Raj Khosla said, “ New artists must follow the terms we set” In her illustrious five-decade-long career, Waheeda Rehman has delivered iconic performances in films like Neel Kamal, Bees Saal Baad, Khamoshi, Pyaasa, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, Guide, CID, and Chaudvin Ka Chand. Known for her grace and talent, the veteran actress also stood out for her unwavering principles in an industry that demanded conformity. During a recent session at the Jaipur Literature Festival, Waheeda Rehman shared a remarkable story from her early days in Bollywood. Recalling her debut in the 1956 film CID, she revealed how she refused to change her name, a practice common in the Hindi film industry at the time. Waheeda: “Guru Dutt ji told me they wanted to change my name” “When I came as a newcomer from Chennai to Mumbai, Guru Dutt ji called me to sign a contract,” she said. “My mother accompanied me. Guru Dutt ji told me they wanted to change my name because it was long and not appealing enough. That hurt me deeply. I thought, ‘My parents gave me this name. Who are you to tell me it’s not good?’” Waheeda shared that even when Guru Dutt tried to persuade her, citing examples of stars like Dilip Kumar and Madhubala who had changed their names for greater appeal, she held her ground. “They said my name lacked glamour and sex appeal, but I told them, ‘Whatever you say, I will not change it.” When Raj Khosla said, “ New artists must follow the terms we set” At just 16 years old, Waheeda’s firm stance surprised many. Raj Khosla, the director of CID, questioned her defiance, saying, “New artists must follow the terms we set.” To this, Waheeda boldly replied, “It should be a give and take.” Ultimately, the filmmakers respected her decision, and Waheeda kept her name—a name that has since become synonymous with elegance and excellence in Indian cinema. Waheeda Rehman’s story serves as a reminder of the importance of staying true to oneself, even in the face of immense pressure. Her decision, rooted in self-respect and familial pride, has only added to her legacy as one of Bollywood’s most respected figures. Also Read: Shraddha Kapoor confirms being in a relationship amid her break-up rumours with Rahul Mody, reveals how she likes spending time with her partner To stay updated with the latest Bollywood news, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, like us on Facebook and visit masala.com, which is updated daily. jQuery(function($){ $("#main img").each(function(){ var $this = $(this), flag = ""; if (this.hasAttribute("alt") === false) //text = " has no alt attribute"; flag=1; else if ($this.attr("alt") === "") //text = " has an empty alt attribute"; flag=1; else //text = " has an alt attribute of '"+$this.attr("alt")+"'"; flag=0; if(flag==1){ var trimStr = $.trim($("#main h1").text()); if($this.parent().hasClass("post-thumbnail")){ $this.attr('alt',trimStr); } else { if($this.next().text() === "") $this.attr('alt',trimStr); else $this.attr('alt',$this.next().text()); } } }); }); Tagged: Bollywood veteran, CID movie, Guru Dutt, Waheeda Rehman

In her illustrious five-decade-long career, Waheeda Rehman has delivered iconic performances in films like Neel Kamal, Bees Saal Baad, Khamoshi, Pyaasa, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, Guide, CID, and Chaudvin Ka Chand. Known for her grace and talent, the veteran actress also stood out for her unwavering principles in an industry that demanded conformity.

During a recent session at the Jaipur Literature Festival, Waheeda Rehman shared a remarkable story from her early days in Bollywood. Recalling her debut in the 1956 film CID, she revealed how she refused to change her name, a practice common in the Hindi film industry at the time.

Throwback to when Waheeda Rehman refused to change her name in Bollywood, said “Who are you to tell me that it’s not good?” hitting back at Guru Dutt

Waheeda: “Guru Dutt ji told me they wanted to change my name”

“When I came as a newcomer from Chennai to Mumbai, Guru Dutt ji called me to sign a contract,” she said. “My mother accompanied me. Guru Dutt ji told me they wanted to change my name because it was long and not appealing enough. That hurt me deeply. I thought, ‘My parents gave me this name. Who are you to tell me it’s not good?’”

Waheeda shared that even when Guru Dutt tried to persuade her, citing examples of stars like Dilip Kumar and Madhubala who had changed their names for greater appeal, she held her ground. “They said my name lacked glamour and sex appeal, but I told them, ‘Whatever you say, I will not change it.”

Throwback to when Waheeda Rehman refused to change her name in Bollywood, said “Who are you to tell me that it’s not good?” hitting back at Guru Dutt

When Raj Khosla said, “ New artists must follow the terms we set”

At just 16 years old, Waheeda’s firm stance surprised many. Raj Khosla, the director of CID, questioned her defiance, saying, “New artists must follow the terms we set.” To this, Waheeda boldly replied, “It should be a give and take.”

Ultimately, the filmmakers respected her decision, and Waheeda kept her name—a name that has since become synonymous with elegance and excellence in Indian cinema.

Waheeda Rehman’s story serves as a reminder of the importance of staying true to oneself, even in the face of immense pressure. Her decision, rooted in self-respect and familial pride, has only added to her legacy as one of Bollywood’s most respected figures.