Today, October 10, is the 70th birthday of the legendary Indian actress Rekha. When we think of the veteran actress Rekha, qualities like ‘mysterious, gorgeous, and reserved’ come to mind. With films like Silsila, Ijaazat, Umrao Jaan, and many more, Rekha has left a rich acting legacy with her nearly 40-year Bollywood career.
Bollywood’s everlasting diva has not had an easy life though. Her turbulent love life has always been under scrutiny, and it has been a difficult path for her, both personally and professionally.
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Happy birthday Rekha: Personal and Professional life
Despite her family’s long history in the South Indian film industry, she had no intention of becoming an actress at first. She was born to well-known Tamil actor Gemini Ganesan and Telugu actress Pushpavalli. But fate had different plans for her. With prominent roles in Inti Guttu (1958) and Rangula Ratnam (1966), Rekha started her career as a child performer in Telugu movies before becoming one of the best actresses in Indian cinema.
At the age of 13, the veteran actress started working in the film industry. In numerous early interviews, Rekha disclosed that she began acting at her mother’s insistence in order to help her family financially. Her early years in the industry were challenging since she was frequently criticised for her acting abilities and beauty.
Even though Sawan Bhadon, her 1970 Bollywood debut, put her in the public eye, it was not until the middle of the 1970s that she developed into the amazing performer and versatile actress that the world is familiar with today. She has starred in some of the most recognizable movies during her decades-long career.
Happy birthday Rekha: Top 5 Movies
• Rekha played the title role of a courtesan in the Muzaffar Ali-directed movie UMRAO JAAN (1981). Her depiction of the character, which earned her the National Film Award for Best Actress, is still one of her most memorable parts because of its grace and emotional depth.
• The love triangle of a passionate playwright, Amit (Amitabh Bachchan), his wife Shobha (Jaya Bachchan), and his ex-lover Chandni (Rekha) is the focus of Yash Chopra’s romantic drama, SILSILA (1981). Rekha, Jaya, and Amitabh’s real-life love triangle is said to have been reflected in the movie, which is still considered legendary.
• Under the direction of Prakash Mehra; the film, MUQADDAR KA SIKANDAR, which starred Amitabh Bachchan, and Rekha as courtesan Zohra Bai, with an unrequited love. The movie is said to have started the chemistry between Rekha and Bachchan and is still regarded as a classic. In 1978, it was the highest-grossing movie.
• Rekha portrayed a playful, naughty Manju Dayal in this comedy-drama, KHOOBSURAT (1980) which was directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. She won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress for her performance in Khoobsurat.
• KHOON BHARI MAANG (1988), directed by Rakesh Roshan, features Rekha in a dual role. As Jyoti, she plays a wealthy widow named Aarti who nearly dies at the hands of her second husband and seeks retribution. She received a Filmfare for her performance in the movie.
First Published: Oct 10 2024 | 1:32 PM IST
