Thursday, October 10, 2013

Rekha: A life of an enigma

The evergreen actress Rekha's birthday today
She is a renowned actor and a fashion icon, what with legions of fans aping her style statements. Today, October 10, as Rekha celebrates her 59th birthday, she still looks as stunning as ever and manages to make heads turn. We speak to actors from the industry and ask them to share their thoughts about the star.

Rekhaji was always much ahead of her times, as an actor and a person. She lives her life on her own terms and is a true superstar. From Khoobsurat (1980) to Umrao Jaan (1981) you can gauge her range as an actor. She has romanced superstars from Dharamji (Dharmendra, actor) to Akshay Kumaron-screen, and that shows how timeless a beauty she is.

About Rekha

Bollywood actress Rekha was born on 10 October 1954. Daughter of Telugu actress Pushpavalli and Tamil actor Gemini Ganesan, Rekha didn't have an easy early life particularly because her parents were not married and her father didn't acknowledge her for some time.
Rekha started her career in 1966 as a child artiste in the Telugu movie 'Rangula Ratnam'. Her debut as a led actress was four years later in 1970, with 'Sawan Bhadon'.
The going was never easy for Rekha. Despite many of her earlier films being hits, Rekha was not appreciated so much in Bollywood because of her dark skin and South Indian features so  Rekha went ahead under a major physical transformation - from a dusky village girl to a glamourous diva. 
Apart from paying attention to her make-up, attire and working on her acting technique, the actress also started chosing her roles more carefully. It was during this time that she  perfected her Hindi language skills. The results were stunningly obvious and in the late 70s, she finally got the attention of all the actors and directors.
Throughout her career, she has often played strong female characters and was one of the few actresses of her time who dared to take up roles in films that were considered a part of parallel cinema.
Rekha has acted in over 180 films in a career spanning over 40 years and has won three Filmfare Awards, two for Best Actress and one for Best Supporting Actress for her roles in 'Khubsoorat' (1980), 'Khoon Bhari Maang' (1988) and 'Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi' (1996), respectively.
The most significant turning point in her life came in 1978 with her portrayal of a rape victim in the movie 'Ghar'. Her performance was appreciated by audiences and critics and filmmakers sat up and took notice. 'Ghar'making the arrival of a mature Rekha. and she received her first nomination for Best Actress at the Filmfare Awards.
By dint of hard work and dedication, Rekha has achieved a position in Bollywood which is exceptional. Actors look upon her to be like Rekha. She has created a separate zone for her. She has many successful movies under her name.
Rekha's long open secret relationship with Amitabh Bachchan has been an interesting subject for the media even today.
Her role in 'Umrao Jaan' (1981) won her the National Film Award for Best Actress. Rekha made a comeback this year when she took an oath as Rajya Sabha MP. She made her first appearance in the Parliament during the Budget Session.
In 2010, she was honoured with the Padma Shri by the Government of India.

Rekha is one of the finest actors Hindi Cinema has and she is a role model for many of the upcoming actresses.

Brand Rekha is a classic example of a self-created personality. 

NRI Bollywood wishes the evergreen actress a very happy birthday!

Selected filmography

Rekha has acted in over 180 films in a career spanning over 40 years. Throughout her career, she has often played strong female characters and, apart from mainstream cinema, appeared in arthouse films, known in India as parallel cinema. She has won three Filmfare Awards, two for Best Actress and one for Best Supporting Actress, for her roles in Khubsoorat (1980), Khoon Bhari Maang (1988) and Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996), respectively. Her portrayal of a classical courtesan in Umrao Jaan (1981) won her the National Film Award for Best Actress. Though her career has gone through certain periods of decline, she has reinvented herself numerous times and has been credited for her ability to sustain her status. 

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