Asha Parekh wins Dada Saheb Phalke award (does she desreve the same? )

 Asha Parekh wins Dada Saheb Phalke Award ( does she deserve it?)

Asha Parekh

Waheeda  Rehman

Vaijantimala

It was announced in today’s news that the veteran actress of Hindi cinema Asha Parekh won the prestigious ‘Dada Saheb Phalke Award’ which is given Annually to a person who has contributed to the image, growth and development of Cinema in India. It is not restricted to only Hindi Cinema but is Pan India  . Among its recipients have been Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand, Devika Rani, Pran , Manna Dey and others .

Congratulations to Asha Parekh therefore for winning the same. She joined hindi cinema as a child artist but was cast as heroine in early sixties and then never looked back . She was considered as a lucky mascot and acted in films such as  Dil Deke dekho, Jab Pya Kisi Se Hota Hai, Teesri Manzil, Upkaar, Aaye Din Bahaar ke, Aaya Sawan Zhum ke,  Aaan Milo sajna, Shikaar, Mera Gaon Mera Desh , Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki, Love in Tokyo, Kati Patang.

    It is interesting to note that when the award was instituted 52 years ago in 1969 the first recipient was Devika Rani. Since then only Ruby Mayer ( Sulochna) , Durga Khote, Kanan Devi who were heroines have got it. It is understandable that being an All India award   it cannot be expected to be given to only heroines but to other disciplines too . Therefore both Lata Mangeshkar and asha Bhosle have got it . The prominent recipients from South have been Shivaji Ganesha, Rajni Kant, Adoor Gopalakrishna, K Vishvanath, L V Prasad and others. 

Only for some academic discussion it is worthy of mention that Nutan , Meena Kumari, Madhubala, Suraiyya, Hema Malini have not  not got the award. But; there are Two living  contemporaries of Asha Parekh who were much deserving than her , but have been overlooked- Waheeda Rehman and Vaijantimala.

 Asha Parekh was known to be a successful actress however she was never known for her acting skills . The lone filmfare award she received was for the film “kati-Patang’. An average actress but a lucky actress . And , yes she proved her luck once again by bagging the Phalke Award which gave a miss to Waheeda , vaijantimala but also to Dharmendra, Salim-Javed whose contribution was way ahead of Asha.

  Though Asha Parekh gave many successful films but none of her films other than ‘Teesri Manzil’ and ‘Mera Gaon Mera Des’ could be called great. Moreover both the above films were Hero centric. But Waheeda gave us Classics such as - Pyasa, Guide, Kagaz ke Phool, Chowdhvin ka Chand, Sahib bivi aur Gulam, Abhijaan ( Bengali with Satyajit Ray), Bees Saaal Baad , Reshma aur Shera, Muzhe Jine Do , Neel Kamal etc .  Waheeda won filmfare award for Guide and Neel Kamal and National award for ‘Reshma aur Shera’.

Vaijantimala  is known for her superhit and critically acclaimed films such as - Ganga Jamuna, Madhumati, Sangam , Jewel Thief, Amrapali, Devdas, Naya Daur. She has won four filmfare awards.

Therefore this award in my view was not fair . If anyone deserved it , it was Vaijantimala or Waheeda ; that is if it was to be given to a heroine . But the more deserving Dharmendra and , Salim and Javed were also there if it was to go to Hindi film industry.