Rehana Sultan
Rehana Sultan is an Indian film actress best known for her debut role in the acclaimed 1970 film Dastak which won her the National Film Award for Best Actress. A graduate of Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, she is also known for another bold role in the film Chetna, which got her typecast thus ending her film career, despite its promising start.
Biography
Born and raised in Allahabad to Baháʼí parents, she graduated from high school in 1967, and was selected in the same year to study acting at FTII. After she graduated with a sexy role in Vishwanath Ayengar's diploma film Shadi Ki Pehli Salgirah, she got her break in a feature film in Rajinder Singh Bedi's Dastak, making her the first actress from the Institute to land a lead role in the film industry. She won the National Film Award for her role in that film. In the same year she also played the lead role in the film Chetna which was shot in 28 days along with the shooting of Dastak. That film was about the rehabilitation of prostitutes, and her role changed the portrayal of sex workers in Hindi cinema.Her sexy roles brought her success but also limited her choice of roles in future films. She had roles in Haar Jeet, Prem Parvat, and the famous political satire Kissa Kursi Ka. In 1984, after starring in Vijay Anand's Hum Rahen Na Rahen with Shabana Azmi, she married writer-director B. R. Ishara, who had directed Chetna. She also appeared in a Punjabi movie Putt Jattan De with Shatrughan Sinha.
Awards
- 1970 - National Film Award for Best Actress for Dastak
- 1972 - BFJA Award for Best Actress for Chetna
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1970 | Chetna | Seema | - |
| 1970 | Dastak | Salma Ahmed | National Film Award for Best Actress |
| 1971 | Padosi | ||
| 1971 | Man Tera Tan Mera | ||
| 1972 | Tanhai | ||
| 1972 | Savera | ||
| 1972 | Man Jaiye | Suman | |
| 1972 | Haar Jeet | Kamal | |
| 1973 | Prem Parbat | ||
| 1973 | Dil Ki Rahen | ||
| 1973 | Bada Kabutar | Rita | |
| 1974 | Albeli | - | |
| 1974 | Khhotte Sikkay | Rani / Paro Ramdin | |
| 1974 | Ek Ladki Badnaam Si | ||
| 1975 | Yeh Sach Hai | - | |
| 1975 | Zindagi Aur Toofan | ||
| 1976 | Sajjo Rani | ||
| 1977 | Agent Vinod | Zarina | |
| 1977 | Ooparwala Jaane | - | |
| 1978 | Nawab Sahib | ||
| 1978 | Assignment Bombay | ||
| 1979 | Deen Aur Imaan | - | |
| 1979 | Aaj Ki Dhara | - | |
| 1980 | Sister | ||
| 1980 | Agent 009 | ||
| 1981 | Jwala Daku | Rambhabai | |
| 1982 | Bedard | ||
| 1983 | Putt Jattan De | Jagat Singh's wife | Punjabi |
| 1983 | Bandhan Kuchchey Dhaagon Ka | Advocate Thakur | |
| 1984 | Hum Rahe Na Hum | Kalyani M. Sharma / Madam | |
| 1985 | Aakhri Chaal | TV film | |
| 1992 | Surajmukhi |