Quotes

[The actress explaining how she got motherly roles] I got the role of a lifetime in Rajinder Singh Bedi's 'Phagun' in 1973. I had to play Jaya Bachchan's mother. That did it for me. I was suddenly flooded with motherly roles.

We Indians are musical- and dance-minded people. If a child is born or on a wedding, birthday, we dance. But when a song starts unreasonably, it irritates me.

[How the actress almost didn't do Guide (1965)] Guide' is not just my most iconic film. It is also Dev's most celebrated work. But I almost didn't do 'Guide.'

[friendship with Nanda] Nanda and I never discussed work. Our work never came in the way of our friendship. We were both down-to-earth and very Indian. Both of us attempted glamorous roles but soon realized that it's better to play characters that were close to our personalities.

[Waheeda explaining her first Bollywood role experience in C.I.D. (1956)] My very first film in Hindi - 'CID' - was with Dev Anand. I was a big fan of his. So you can imagine my excitement and nervousness at doing a film with him. On the very first day on the sets, when I called him 'Dev Saab' he turned around and said 'No no, call me Dev.'

[2006 Interview] When 'Chaudhvin Ka Chand' was released, it was a big success and very well appreciated. At that time, colour films had just started to be made, and Guru Dutt decided to take the title song of the film, shoot it in colour and rerelease it with new fanfare.

[Explaing in a 2013 interview how Meena Kumari nearly missing Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962)] When 'Sahib Bibi... ' was being cast, I wanted to do Chhoti Bahu's role, but Meena Kumari had been cast. So I didn't think I would be part of the film.

I found myself playing Rajesh Khanna's mother just nine years after I played his leading lady in 'Khamoshi.'

I was lucky to work with some of the finest filmmakers - Guru Dutt, Satyajit Ray, Vijay Anand, Raj Khosla, Asit Sen.

[Ageism on Bollywood, 2021] The heroines for our established heroes are getting younger and younger. So the heroines, who started their careers with these established heroes, are quickly promoted to senior roles.

[The legendary actress's response to why she is 'not okay' to have a film based on her life, 2013 Interview] Both Guru Dutt and Kishore Kumar's lives had lots of ups and downs... their lives were heavy and sad. I feel it (film) might turn out to be tragic. Also, it (film) would be like giving out personal details which I feel is not a good idea.

[Waheeda's opinion on her favorite type of films, 2013] I really love the kind of films that are being made today. There is an interesting mix of films and we are getting so many different subjects. I love Huma Qureshi, Richa Chadda, Vidya Balan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sushant Singh Rajput, Varun Dhawan. I loved watching films like Gangs Of Wasseypur, Fukrey.