Rekha | |
|---|---|
 Rekha in 2023 | |
| Born | Bhanurekha Ganesan (1954-10-10)10 October 1954 (age 71) Madras,Madras State, India |
| Education | Sacred Heart Convent, Chennai |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1958–present |
| Works | Full list |
| Spouse | |
| Parents |
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| Family | Ganesan family |
| Awards | Full list |
| Honours | Padma Shri (2010) |
| Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha | |
| In office 27 April 2012 – 26 April 2018 | |
| Constituency | Nominated |
| Signature | |
 | |
Bhanurekha Ganesan (pronounced[ˈbʱaːnuɾeːkʰaɡaɳeːʃan]; born 10 October 1954), better known by hermononymous stage nameRekha, is an Indian actress who appears predominantly inHindi films. Acknowledged as one of the finest actresses inIndian cinema,[1] she has starred inmore than 200 films and is the recipient ofseveral accolades, including oneNational Film Award and threeFilmfare Awards. She has often played strong and complicated female characters, from fictional to literary, in both mainstream and independent films. Though her career has gone through certain periods of decline, Rekha has gained a reputation for reinventing herself numerous times and has been credited for her ability to sustain her status. In 2010, theGovernment of India honoured her withPadma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honour.
The daughter of actorsPushpavalli andGemini Ganesan, Rekha started her career as a child actress inTelugu filmsInti Guttu (1958) andRangula Ratnam (1966). Her first film as a lead happened with the Kannada movieOperation Jackpot Nalli C.I.D 999 (1969). Her Hindi debut withSawan Bhadon (1970) established her as a rising star, but despite the success of several of her early films, she was often panned in the press for her looks and weight. Motivated by criticism, she started working on her appearance and put effort into improving her acting technique and command of the Hindi language, resulting in a well-publicised transformation. Early recognition in 1978 for her performances inGhar andMuqaddar Ka Sikandar marked the beginning of the most successful period of her career, and she was one of Hindi cinema's leading stars through most of the 1980s and early 1990s.
For her performance in the comedyKhubsoorat (1980), Rekha received her firstFilmfare Award for Best Actress. She followed it with roles inBaseraa (1981),Ek Hi Bhool (1981),Jeevan Dhaara (1982) andAgar Tum Na Hote (1983). While mostly prolific in popular Hindi cinema, during this time she ventured intoparallel cinema, a movement of neo-realistarthouse films. These films included dramas such asKalyug (1981),Vijeta (1982) andUtsav (1984), and her portrayal of a classical courtesan inUmrao Jaan (1981) won her theNational Film Award for Best Actress. After a short setback in the mid-1980s, she was among the actresses who led a new trend of women-centred revenge films, starting withKhoon Bhari Maang (1988), for which she won a second Best Actress award at Filmfare.
Rekha's work was much less prolific in subsequent decades. Her roles in early 1990s mostly met with lukewarm reviews. In 1996, she played againsttype in the role of an underworld don in the action thrillerKhiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996), for which she won a third Filmfare Award in theBest Supporting Actress category, and further appeared inKama Sutra: A Tale of Love (1996) andAastha: In the Prison of Spring (1997) to critical acclaim but some public scrutiny. During the 2000s, she was praised for her supporting roles in the 2001 dramasZubeidaa andLajja, and started playing mother roles, among which was her role in the science fictionKoi... Mil Gaya (2003) and its superhero sequelKrrish (2006), both commercial successes. The lattermost emerged as her highest-grossing release.
Apart from acting, Rekha served as aMember of Parliament for theRajya Sabha from 2012 to 2018. Her private life and public image have been the subject of frequent media interest and discussion. Starting in the 1970s, her pairing oppositeAmitabh Bachchan in a number of successful films was accompanied by enduring speculation about a love affair between the two, culminating in their starring filmSilsila (1981), which was reflective of media projections. Her only marriage to the Delhi-based industrialist and television manufacturer Mukesh Agarwal in March 1990 ended seven months later when he died by suicide. Rekha's public image has often been tied to her perceived sex appeal. She is often reluctant to give interviews or discuss her life, which has resulted in her being labelled a recluse.
Rekha was born Bhanurekha Ganesan inMadras (present-day Chennai) on 10 October 1954 to South Indian actorsGemini Ganesan andPushpavalli, when the couple were unmarried.[2][3] Ganesan was already married to T. R. "Bobjima" Alamelu and had four children: theIllinois-based radiation oncologist Revathi Swaminathan, the gynecologistKamala Selvaraj,The Times of India's journalist Narayani Ganesan, and the medical doctor Jaya Shreedhar.[4][5] He had two more children with actressSavitri—Vijaya Chamundeswari, a fitness expert, and Sathish Kumaar.[5][6][7] Meanwhile, Pushpavalli had two children (Babuji and Rama) from her earlier marriage to the lawyer I. V. Rangachari.[8] Ganesan and Pushpavalli had another daughter, Radha (born 1955).[9][10] Nagaprasad and the actressShubha are her cousins, whileVedantam Raghavayya and his wife Suryaprabha are her uncle and aunt, respectively.[11] Born to aTamil father and aTelugu mother, Rekha is fluent inTamil andTelugu.[12] She has mentioned that "at home we used to talk in English"[13] and that she thinks in English.[14] She is also fluent in Hindi.
Rekha did not reveal her family background until mid-1970s.[15][16] During her unstable childhood, her relationship with her father Ganesan was estranged. Ganesan did not want to recognize her as his daughter and give her a living.[17][18] He rarely met both of his children with Pushpavalli, who subsequently married K. Prakash, a cinematographer from Madras, and she legally changed her name to K. Pushpavalli. She gave birth to two more children, Dhanalakshmi (who later married the actorTej Sapru) and the dancer Seshu (died 21 May 1991).[19][20] Due to her mother's hectic acting schedule at the time, Rekha would often stay with her grandmother. Asked in an interview bySimi Garewal about her father, Rekha believed he was never even aware of her existence.[21] She recalled that her mother often spoke about him and added that despite never having lived with him, she felt his presence all through.[21][22] Even so, the relationship started to improve five years after Pushpavalli died in 1991.[20] He told aCine Blitz interviewer of his happiness about this and stated, "Rekha and I have such a good rapport. We are really close."[23] He died in 2005.[24]
Rekha was one year old when she played a small role in the Telugu-language dramaInti Guttu.[25] Directed byVedantam Raghavayya, the film was released in late 1958 and became a commercial success.[26] She was enrolled at akindergarten when she was at the age of three and next joined the Sacred Heart Convent School, Church Park, Chennai,[27] during her adolescence.[28][29] She also met Narayani, Ganesan and Aramelu's second daughter,[30][31] at the school when the latter was around nine or ten years old.[29] Always an awkward and lonely girl, she admitted that she experiencedchildhood obesity. In a 1990 interview toThe Illustrated Weekly of India, she called herself as "the fattest girl in the school". In this period, she developed a love for dances and sports, although never participated in them due to her weight.[28] Because of this, she was bullied by many of her schoolmates, who called herlotta (Tamil for "bastard").[29] Rekha, describing herself as a "firm believer" in God and destiny, used to spend her time at the school'schapel.[28] Another brief screen role came with the release ofRangula Ratnam (1966)—a political satire which was popular among the audience[32]—co-starring Pushpavalli and sister Radha.[22][33]
According to her biographerYasser Usman, Rekha was asked by Pushpavalli to start an acting career when their family faced financial troubles in 1968, as the latter was sure that it would help them.[21][34] Although never interested in acting, Rekha (who initially aspired to be a flight attendant)[35] obeyed her mother and, at the age of 13 or 14—while she was in ninth grade— dropped out from school to start a full-time career in acting;[34][a] she later regretted not having completed her education.[37] A protective sister, she did not allow her younger sister Radha to join her line of work, because she wanted Radha to finish her education.[21]
"Bombay was like a jungle, and I had walked in unarmed. It was one of the most frightening phases of my life... I was totally ignorant of the ways of this new world. Guys did try and take advantage of my vulnerability... Every single day I cried, because I had to eat what I didn't like, wear crazy clothes with sequins and stuff poking into my body. Costume jewellery would give me an absolute terrible allergy. Hair spray wouldn't go off for days even despite all my washing. I was pushed, literally dragged from one studio to another. A terrible thing to do to a 13-year-old child."
In late 1968, theNairobi-based businessman Kuljeet Pal visitedGemini Studios in search of a newcomer for his new projectAnjana Safar (an adaption ofH. Rider Haggard's 1885 novelKing Solomon's Mines). He spotted Rekha at the studio and cast her as the film's second female lead afterVanisri. Pal went to Pushpavalli's house to give Rekha a screen test, dictating a number of sentences in Hindi, which were rewrote by Rekha inLatin script, and then told her to memorize it. A few moments later, Rekha recited the sentences completely and Pal was impressed of her native Hindi-speaker-like voice. He gave her a five-year contract to star in four films from him and his brother Shatrujeet Pal each.[38]
Rekha moved toBombay (present-day Mumbai) in 1969 and rented a room at the Hotel Ajanta in the city's neighbourhoodJuhu, with Pal paying off the fee.[39] Also that year, she announced her debut to public and the media, and the successfulKannada filmOperation Jackpot Nalli C.I.D 999 withDr. Rajkumar, where she features as a lead for the first time, was released.[18][40] InAnjana Safar, directed byRaja Nawathe, she played Sunita, a woman forced by her father to travel to Africa in search of a hidden treasure. She was paid₹25,000 (US$300) for her work.[41]
Since her mother fell ill at the time, Rekha was accompanied by her aunt to the shooting, which started in August that year atMehboob Studio. A controversy arose around a kissing scene featuring Rekha and male leadBiswajit Chatterjee, of which she was not notified as Nawathe wanted to maintain her natural reaction.[42] In later years, Rekha complained at having been tricked into the scene.[43] The film ran into censorship problems and would not be released until 1979, when it was retitledDo Shikaari.[44] The kissing scene made it to the cover of the Asian edition ofLife magazine in April 1970.[45][46] This prompted the American journalist James Shephard to travel to India to interview Rekha, which she saw as an opportunity to boost her career and express her complaint.[47]Do Shikaari underperformed at the box office.[48]
Soon after her move to Bombay in 1969, Rekha was signed by the producer and director Mohan Sehgal for his film,Sawan Bhadon, and the filming started on 11 October. He cast her as Chanda, a village girl who does not receive approval from her parents to marry her lover (Navin Nischol). Although her hair was already long and thick, Sehgal forced her to wear awig. Hence, it did not fit on her hair and her hairdressers had to shave her hair to almost bald. She was not fluent in Hindi at the time and most of the film's crew mocked her for having South Indian background.[49] Marking her Hindi debut,Sawan Bhadon was released in September 1970 and became a commercial success.[50][51] Film reviewers scorned her looks, but complimented her confidence and comic timing in the film.[52]Manoj Das believed that "embarrassment" was shown on Nischol's face in every scenes with Rekha,[53] andFilm World magazine noted the film's success was a breakthrough for her career.[54]Amma Kosam, a Telugu drama from the directorKolli Pratyagatma, was released in the end of the year, and she dedicated it to her mother.[55][56]
Rekha subsequently got several offers but nothing of substance, as her roles were mostly just of a glamour girl.[36][57] She was highly prolific during the decade, working on average in ten films a year, most of which were deemed potboilers and failed to propel her career forward in terms of roles and appreciation.[58] She appeared in several commercially successful films at the time, includingRaampur Ka Lakshman (1972),Kahani Kismat Ki (1973), andPran Jaye Par Vachan Na Jaye (1974), yet she was not regarded for her acting abilities and—according to the authorTejaswini Ganti—"the industry was surprised by her success as her dark complexion, plump figure, and garish clothing contradicted the norms of beauty prevalent in the film industry and in society."[36][18] In 1975, she appeared in the war filmAakraman asRakesh Roshan's wife Sheetal, a roleQurratulain Hyder thought was cliché and labelled "a clothes-horse".[59]Randhir Kapoor'sDharam Karam is a drama about ahoodlum, andLink magazine noted that Rekha's part in it is the most pathetic of the entire cast.[60] The mafia filmDharmatma was her only financial success of the year.[61][62] Directed by and starringFeroz Khan, the film saw her in the part of Anu, Khan's childhood sweetheart.[63] Additional films includeKabeela, about her appearance in which critic Gautam Kundu wrote that she "manages to be as undistinguished as the script will allow, which is plenty".[64]
Rekha recalls that the way she was perceived at that time motivated her to change her appearance and improve her choice of roles: "I was called the [ugly duckling] of Hindi films because of my dark complexion and South Indian features. I used to feel deeply hurt when people compared me with the leading heroines of the time and said I was no match for them. I was determined to make it big on sheer merit."[65] The mid-1970s marked the beginning of her physical transformation. She started paying attention to her make-up, dress sense, and worked to improve her acting technique and perfect her Hindi-language skills for three months.[66] To lose weight, she followed a nutritious diet, led a regular, disciplined life, and practised yoga, later recording albums to promote physical fitness. According toKhalid Mohamed, "The audience was floored when there was a swift change in her screen personality, as well as her style of acting."[67] Rekha began choosing her film roles with more care.[68][69]
Rekha's first performance-oriented role came in 1976 when she playedAmitabh Bachchan's ambitious and greedy wife inDo Anjaane;[68] it would be her first of many appearances with the actor.[21] (They appeared together inNamak Haraam (1973), but Rekha was paired oppositeRajesh Khanna). Her role is Rekha Roy, the wife of Bachchan's character who becomes an established actress. Shooting took place inCalcutta (present-day Kolkata) and was finished within a month; Rekha and the other cast and crew would stayed at theGrand Hotel.[70] An adaptation ofNihar Ranjan Gupta's novelRatrir Yatri, the film—directed byDulal Guha and scripted byNabendu Ghosh—was popular among the audience and critics.[18]Film World wrote that she has proved herself as a leading actress in Hindi cinema as filmmakers had started taking more notice of her and become more keen to cast her in their films.[71] She remarked that it was difficult to stand in front of Bachchan, speaking of how she feltparanoid after she knew that he would star opposite her in the film.[21] She stated that he contributed to "dramatic changes" in her life and was a big influence in her adulthood, and described him "[someone] I'd never seen before".[21][72]
1977 was the third year when Rekha was consecutively gained one commercial success; the action crimeKhoon Pasina emerged as the sixth-highest-grossing Indian film of the year.[73] In the same year, she starred in the comedy-dramaAap Ki Khatir, oppositeVinod Khanna andNadira. Her role as the poor girl won her awards from a number of film journalists' associations.[74] In a retrospective review forThe Hindu, the sport journalist and film criticVijay Lokapally presumed that Rekha's role was challenging for her and appreciated her chemistry with Khanna; aLink reviewer praised its social themes.[75][76]Film World awarded her with the Best Actress trophy for her work inImmaan Dharam, an action film that received mixed critical reviews.[77] It features her as Durga, a Tamilian labourer who falls for the thief Mohan Kumar-Saxena (Shashi Kapoor).[74][78]Cine Blitz praised Rekha for proving her talent in acting.[79]
Rekha's turning point came in 1978, with her portrayal of a rape victim in the social dramaGhar.[80] She plays Aarti, a newly married woman who gets gravely traumatized after being gang-raped. The film follows her character's struggle and traumatised with the help of her husband (Vinod Mehra).[81] The film was considered her first notable milestone,[36] and her performance was acclaimed by both critics and audiences.[28][82]Dinesh Raheja elaborated, "Ghar heralded the arrival of a mature Rekha. Her archetypal jubilance was replaced by her very realistic portrayal..."[44] She received her first nomination forBest Actress at theFilmfare Awards.[18] In that same year, her another release,Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, emerged as the biggest hit of that year, as well as one of the biggest hits of the decade, and Rekha was set as one of the most successful actresses of these times.[83] The film opened to a positive critical reception,[84] and Rekha's brief role as atawaif named Zohrabai earned her aBest Supporting Actress nomination at the Filmfare.[18][85] M. L. Dhawan ofThe Tribune noted her "smouldering intensity".[81] Rekha recalled this phase as a period of self-discovery.[86] Other films that year includeKarmayogi.[87]
FollowingDo Anjaane, speculation about a love affair with her co-star Amitabh Bachchan generated.[21] Filmmakers at the time saw this as an opportunity to publicise their films by exploiting their alleged affair on-screen, as done inMr. Natwarlal andSuhaag—both 1979 releases and highly popular with audiences.[88] InMr. Natwarlal, an action romance set inCalcutta, Rekha portrays the simple, village woman Shanoo to good reviews.[89][90]Suhaag, likeMuqaddar Ka Sikandar, featured her as a courtesan and became the year's highest-grossing picture.[91]
The next two years were even more successful.[92][93] In 1980, Rekha starred in the comedyKhubsoorat byHrishikesh Mukherjee. In a role written specially for her, she played Manju Dayal, a young vivacious woman who visits her recently married sister and tries to bring joy to the wide family, much to the dissatisfaction of the matriarch of the household.[94][95] Rekha said she easily identified with the bubbly nature of her character, calling it "quite a bit me".[96]Khubsoorat, and Rekha's performance in it, were well received by reviewers, and the film was a financial success.[68] At the Filmfare Awards, the film was namedBest Film and Rekha won her firstBest Actress award.[18]The Tribune lauded Rekha's "spunky performance" for giving the film "its natural zing".[97]Maang Bharo Sajana andJudaai, both directed byT. Rama Rao, andSaawan Kumar Tak'sSaajan Ki Saheli, brought her further critical attention that year.[98][99]
Rekha's alleged love affair speculation with Amitabh Bachchan culminated when they starred together inYash Chopra's romantic dramaSilsila.[100] It was the most scandalous of their films together as it reflected the rumours by the press: Rekha played Bachchan's lover, while Bachchan's real-life wifeJaya Bachchan played his wife.[101] The film was filmed secretly during 1980–1981, with Chopra not allowing the media to visit the shooting.[102]Silsila was regarded by many journalists as "a casting coup",[103][104] and this was the last collaboration between Rekha and Bachchan.[100][105] The film premiered in July 1981 to critical and commercial failure, and Chopra attributed this to the casting, feeling the audience's attention was strictly focused on the speculation rather than the plot.[100][106][107]India Today's Sunil Sethi saw that Rekha was "as synthetic as [Amitabh Bachchan's] tiresome chauvinism".[101] Other films starring her that year includeRamesh Talwar'sBaseraa and T. Rama Rao'sEk Hi Bhool (a remake of the 1981 Tamil filmMouna Geethangal)[108] both box-office successes.[109] She received another Filmfare Best Actress nomination forJeevan Dhaara (1982), in which she played a young unmarried woman who is the sole breadwinner of her extended family.[110]
During this period, Rekha was willing to expand her range beyond what she was given in mainstream films and started working inparallel cinema, a movement of Indian neo-realistart films. These films includeKalyug (1981),Umrao Jaan (1981),Vijeta (1982),Utsav (1984) andIjaazat (1987).[111]Umrao Jaan, a film adaptation ofMirza Hadi Ruswa'sUrdu novelUmrao Jaan Ada (1905), saw Rekha in the title role of the poet andcourtesan with a heart of gold fromLucknow in the 1840s.[112] Made on a lavish production cost,[113] the film follows Umrao's life story from her childhood as a girl named Amiran who is kidnapped and sold in a brothel to her position years later as a popular courtesan who seeks happiness amid love affairs and other tribulations.[114] In preparation for the part, Rekha, who at the beginning of her career did not speak Hindi, took the task of learning the finer nuances of the Urdu language.[115] Rekha was widely applauded for her performance, which has since been cited as one of her best work.[116][117] Balu Bharatan ofThe Illustrated Weekly of India wrote of her "unexplored reserves of histronic strength".[118] She was awarded theNational Film Award for Best Actress and earned another Filmfare Award nomination, withFilmfare later considering this one of the most iconic performances of Bollywood history.[119][120] She later claimed that the film was a turning point.[65]
Among her work in art films,Shyam Benegal'sKalyug is a modern-day adaptation of the Indian mythological epicMahabharata, depicted as an archetypal conflict between rival business houses.[121] Rekha's role Supriya is based onDraupadi.[111] Benegal cast her in the role after seeing her work inKhubsoorat and took further note of her being "very keen, very serious about her profession".[122] Critic and authorVijay Nair described her performance as "a masterful interpretation of the modern Draupadi".[123]Madhu Trehan complimented her for playing "flawlessly" the part of "a woman of intelligence, strength and a barely suppressed yearning for her young brother-in-law".[124] The 1982coming-of-age filmVijeta saw her as Neelima who struggles through her marital problems and tries to support her adolescent son, who, undecided about his future plans, eventually decides to join the Indian Air Force. She has since described the role as one of her favourite.[68]
InGirish Karnad's erotic dramaUtsav, based onŚūdraka'sSanskrit playMṛcchakatika from the fourth century, she portrays the courtesanVasantasena and, for her performance, was acknowledged as theBest Actress (Hindi) by theBengal Film Journalists' Association.[125][126] The film attracted wide coverage for its sensuality and Rekha's intimate scenes; she took this as a way to compete with female newcomers at the time.Utsav polarized both the audience and film reviewers with its script and direction; her work and costumes, however, were well received.[127] A review inAsiaweek noted Rekha "dressed in little more than glittering jewellery".[128] In 2003,Maithili Rao wrote, "Rekha—forever the first choice for the courtesan's role, be it ancient Hindu India or 19th-century Muslim Lucknow—is all statuesque sensuality..."[129] In Gulzar's dramaIjaazat, Rekha andNaseeruddin Shah star as a divorced couple who meet unexpectedly for the first time after years of separation at a railway station, and recall together their life as a married couple and the conflicts which brought about their eventual split.[130]
Apart from parallel cinema, Rekha took on other increasingly adventurous roles. She was among the early actresses to play lead roles in heroine-oriented revenge films, the first of which wasKhoon Bhari Maang in 1988.[131] Made by Rakesh Roshan specifically with Rekha in mind, the film featured her in the role Aarti Saxena, a wealthy, unassuming widow who narrowly survives an attempted murder by her scheming second husband and—presumed to be dead—returns to seek revenge under a concealed identity. She won her secondFilmfare Award for her performance in the film. Rekha went on to describeKhoon Bhari Maang as "the first and only film I concentrated and understood all throughout."[132] M.L. Dhawan fromThe Tribune, while documenting the famous Hindi films of 1988, remarked thatKhoon Bhari Maang was "a crowning glory for Rekha, who rose like a phoenix ... and bedazzled the audience with her daredevilry."[133]Encyclopædia Britannica'sEncyclopædia of Hindi Cinema listed her role in the film as one of Hindi cinema's memorable female characters, noting it for changing "the perception of the ever-forgiving wife, turning her into an avenging angel."[134] In a similar list byScreen magazine, the role was included as one of "ten memorable roles that made the Hindi film heroine proud."[135]
In later interviews, Rekha has mentioned that receiving the Filmfare Award for this role was a surprise and a turning point that gave her reassurance and validation after taking a small break and getting eclipsed by younger stars. "All that applause from the film fraternity inspired me and made me realize that I am still wanted. I felt even more charged to give my best and knew right then, that this was my calling, what I was born to do, to make a difference in people's lives, through my performances."[136]
The 1990s saw a drop in Rekha's success. Few of her films were successful and many of her roles were condemned by reviewers. Critics still noted, however, that unlike most of the actresses of her generation, likeHema Malini andRaakhee, who succumbed to playing character parts, typically of mothers and aunts, Rekha was still playing leading roles at a time when younger female stars rose to fame.[115] The first year of the decade saw four releases featuring Rekha, includingMera Pati Sirf Mera Hai andAmiri Garibi, all of which went unnoticed. Still recovering from the recent suicide of her husband and struggling with the ensuing press antagonism towards her, Rekha retained considerable success with her starring role as Namrata Singh, a young woman who joins the police force to avenge her husband's death inK. C. Bokadia'sPhool Bane Angaray (1991). The film was a box-office hit and Rekha received a Best Actress nomination at Filmfare for her work, in reference to which Subhash K. Jha remarked, "Khaki never seemed sexier".[137][138]The Indian Express wrote that she "rides horses, wields swords and does justice to the title in beingphool (a flower) and becomingangaarey (burning coal)".[139]
The public's acceptance ofPhool Bane Angaray andKhoon Bhari Maang prompted several filmmakers to come with similar offers to Rekha, and she played such roles—labeled "avenging angels"—in several of her proceeding projects to a much less consequential effect. These included her next filmInsaaf Ki Devi (1992), and later films such asAb Insaf Hoga (1995) andUdaan (1997), all of which were major duds.[140] She followed with a dual role of twin sisters inShakti Samanta'sGeetanjali oppositeJeetendra and the title role in the box-office disasterMadam X, in which she starred as a young woman hired by the police to impersonate a female underworld don.[141]
Halfway through the decade, Rekha managed to halt her decline when she accepted several highly-controversial films, includingKama Sutra: A Tale of Love andKhiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996).Kama Sutra, a foreign production directed byMira Nair, was an erotic drama, and many felt her role of aKama Sutra teacher in the film would damage her career.[142] She was undeterred by the criticism.Todd McCarthy ofVariety described her as "exquisitely composed" in the part.[143]Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi, an action film directed by Umesh Mehra, was a major financial success, becoming one of the highest-grossing Indian films of the year.[144] It featured Rekha in her first negative role as Madam Maya, a vicious gangster woman running a secret business of illegal wrestling matches in the US, who, during the course of the film, romances the much youngerAkshay Kumar. Her portrayal earned her several awards, including theFilmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress and theStar Screen Award for Best Villain. In spite of the positive response to her performance from both fans and critics, she maintained on more than one occasion that she did not like herself in the film, noting that her work was not up to her own, personal standards.[145][146]
Another controversial film at that time wasAastha: In the Prison of Spring (1997), whereBasu Bhattacharya, making the last film of his career, cast her as a housewife who moonlights as a prostitute. Once again, she faced some scrutiny by sectors of the press and the audience for the nature of the part and for some of the explicit love scenes in the film. She later reacted: "...people had a lot to say about my role... I don't have problems playing anything. I've reached a stage where I could do justice to any role that came my way. It could be role of a mother, a sister-in-law; negative, positive, sensational or anything."[147] Her performance earned her positive reviews and aStar Screen Award nomination,[148] withIndia Today referring to her work as "her finest performance in years".[149][150] She next acted inQila (1998) andMother (1999).[151][152][153]
In the 2000s, Rekha appeared in relatively few movies. She started the decade withBulandi, directed byT. Rama Rao. The other was Khalid Muhammad's Zubeidaa, co starring Karisma Kapoor and Manoj Vajapayee playing the first wife Maharani Mandira Devi of the King.[154]
In 2001, Rekha appeared inRajkumar Santoshi's feminist dramaLajja, an ensemble piece inspired by a true incident of a woman being raped in Bawanipur two years before.[155] The film follows the journey of a runaway wife (Manisha Koirala) and unfolds her story in three main chapters, each one presenting the story of a woman at whose place she stops. Rekha was the protagonist of the final chapter, around which the film's inspiration revolves, playing Ramdulari, an oppressedDalit village woman and social activist who becomes a victim of gangrape. Speaking of the film, Rekha commented, "I am Lajja and Lajja is me".[156] Highly praised for her portrayal, she received several nominations for her work, including theFilmfare Award and theInternational Indian Film Academy Award (IIFA) for Best Supporting Actress.[157]Taran Adarsh wrote that "it is Rekha who walks away with the glory, delivering one of the finest performances the Indian screen has seen in the recent times."[158][159][160]
InRakesh Roshan's science-fiction filmKoi... Mil Gaya, Rekha played Sonia Mehra, a single mother to adevelopmentally disabled young man, played byHrithik Roshan. The movie was a financial and critical success and became the most popular film of the year; it won theFilmfare Award for Best Film, among others.[161] Rekha received another Best Supporting Actress nomination at the Filmfare for her performance, whichKhalid Mohamed described as "astutely restrained".[162]
In 2005, Rekha guest starred in an item number in connection with the song "Kaisi Paheli Zindagani", inPradeep Sarkar's "Parineeta". InBachke Rehna Re Baba (2005), Rekha played a con woman who, along with her niece, uses one scheme to rob men of their property. The film was a major critical failure.[163]Mid-Day remarked, "why Rekha chose to sign this film is a wonder," noting that she is "riddled with bad dialogue, terrible cakey makeup and tawdry styling".[164] This was followed in 2006 byKudiyon Ka Hai Zamana, a poorly received sex comedy about four female friends and their personal troubles. In a scathing review, Indu Mirani noted that "Rekha hams like she was never going to do another film."[165] In a 2007 article byDaily News and Analysis, critic Deepa Gahlot directed an advice to Rekha: "Please pick movies with care, one more likeBach Ke Rehna Re Baba andKudiyon Ka Hai Zamana and the diva status is under serious threat."[166]
In 2006, she reprised the role of Sonia Mehra inKrrish,Rakesh Roshan's sequel toKoi... Mil Gaya. In this superhero feature, the story moves 20 years forward and focuses on the character of Sonia's grandson Krishna (played again by Hrithik Roshan), whom she has brought up single-handedly after the death of her son Rohit, and who turns out to have supernatural powers.Krrish became the second-highest grossing picture of the year and, like its prequel, was declared a blockbuster.[167] It received mostly positive notices from critics, and Rekha's work earned her another Filmfare nomination in the supporting category. Ronnie Scheib fromVariety noted her for bringing "depth to her role as the nurturing grandmother".[168]
In 2007, she once again portrayed a courtesan inGoutam Ghose'sYatra. Unlike the initial success she experienced in playing such roles in the early stages of her career, this time the film failed to do well. In 2010, Rekha was awarded thePadma Shri, the 4th highest civilian award given by theGovernment of India.
Rekha starred in the 2010 filmSadiyaan alongsideHema Malini andRishi Kapoor. The film marked the debut ofShatrughan Sinha's sonLuv Sinha. The film failed to do well at the box office.
In 2014, Rekha was working onAbhishek Kapoor'sFitoor, but left the film for unknown reasons and laterTabu was signed as her replacement. In 2014 she also worked inSuper Nani released on Diwali (24 October). Super Nani was a family drama, in which the grandmother (Rekha) is unappreciated by her children and husband,Randhir Kapoor. Her grandson,Sharman Joshi convinces her to change. The grandmother 'transforms' herself into a glamorous model.
In 2015, she appeared in R. Balki'sShamitabh, playing herself.
In 1990, Rekha marriedDelhi-based industrialist Mukesh Aggarwal. Aggarwal was a self-made entrepreneur and owner of the kitchenware brand Hotline.[169] He is believed to have had a long-standing struggle with depression and according to Rekha's biographers, she only found out about his mental health after marriage. He was introduced to Rekha through a mutual friend and fashion designer Bina Ramani who termed him Rekha's 'crazy fan'.[169] Their marriage took place on 4 March 1990, and a few months later—while she was in London—he died by suicide, after several previous attempts, leaving a note, "Don't blame anyone".[170] She was pilloried by the press at that time, a period which one journalist termed as "the deepest trough in her life."[171]Bhawana Somaaya observed the period speaking of "a strong anti-wave against the actress — some called her a witch, some a murderess," but added that soon "Rekha came out of the eclipse once again unblemished!"[172]
She was rumoured to have been married to actorVinod Mehra in 1973, but in a 2004 television interview withSimi Garewal she denied ever being married to Mehra, referring to him as a "well-wisher" and a close friend. Rekha currently lives in herBandra home inMumbai.[173][174]
She was also famously rumoured to have been in a relationship withAmitabh Bachchan, who was married, after they first acted together inDo Anjaane. The last film they starred in together wasSilsila.[175][176][177]
Critics noted Rekha for having worked hard to perfect her Hindi and acting, and media reporters often discussed how she had transformed herself from a "plump" duckling to a "swan" in the early 1970s. Rekha's credits to this transformation wereyoga, a nutritious diet, and a regular, disciplined life. In 1983, her diet and yoga practice were published in a book called "Rekha's Mind and Body Temple".[178] Rekha has no children.[179] She is a self-proclaimedeggetarian.[180]
In 2012, Rekha was nominated as aMember of Parliament to theRajya Sabha, the upper house of the bicameralParliament of India.[181][182] She was appointed to the position byPresidentPratibha Patil on the recommendation ofPrime MinisterManmohan Singh for her contribution in the field of art (in accordance with article 80 of theConstitution of India which allows the President to nominate 12 members to the House for their expertise in specific fields).[181][183] Her tenure started on 27 April 2012 and ended on the same day in 2018.[184] She took part in the Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution committee, but, like with other nominated members, her six-year term concluded amidst criticism for her low attendance as well as minimal participation in the House.[184] This concern had been previously raised with respect to Rekha and other nominated members during their incumbency, but several elected members came to their defense, asserting that the active presence of those nominated to the House was not obligatory and that they could contribute in other ways through their position.[185][186]
"There has never been anyone quite like Rekha. Tempestuous woman. Troublemaker extraordinary. A woman once known, never quite forgotten. And an accomplished actress who can often startle you with a truly great performance."
Rekha's status in the film industry has been discussed in light of her change over the years, screen persona, and performances. Writing forThe Tribune, Mukesh Khosla was impressed with her transformation from "the giggling village belle inSaawan Bhadon to one of country's reigning actresses".[188][189]Hindustan Times described her physical change and loss of weight as "one of cinema's and perhapsreal life's most dramatic transformations," arguing that "Rekha morphed from an overweight, dark ordinary girl into a glamorous and beautiful enigma".[190] According to critic Omar Qureshi, "the term diva (in India) was coined for Rekha."[178]Mira Nair, who directed Rekha inKama Sutra (1997), likens her to a "Jamini Roy painting" and says, "LikeMarilyn Monroe is shorthand for sex, Rekha is shorthand for charisma". FilmmakerSanjay Leela Bhansali labels her the "last of the great stars".[191]
Respected for her acting prowess, Rekha has been described by critics as one of Hindi cinema's finest actresses.Filmfare described her acting style, writing that in terms of "style, sexiness or sheer onscreen presence, she's unparalleled" and arguing that she is "a fierce, raw, flinty performer with unbridled honesty. Her acting isn't gimmicky."[192] CriticKhalid Mohamed commends her technical control: "She knows how to give and to what degree. She has all that it takes to be a director. There is a kind of vulnerability in her control. She explores when she is acting."[193]Shyam Benegal, who directed her in two movies, believes she is "a director's actress".[191] M.L. Dhawan fromThe Tribune wrote, "Rekha's flowering as an actress postGhar andKhubsoorat climaxed in [...]Umrao Jaan. As a tragic courtesan she gave a performance of quality artistry, adopting a much-admired huskiness and despondency of tone. Rekha communicated much with a delicately raised eyebrow".[194] In 2010,Filmfare included two of her performances—fromKhubsoorat (1980) andUmrao Jaan (1981)—in their list of "80 Iconic Performances".[195][196] Her work in the latter was included onForbes India's list of "25 Greatest Acting Performances of Indian Cinema".[197] In 2011,Rediff listed her as the ninth-greatest Indian actress of all time, noting, "It's hard not to be bowled over by Rekha's longevity, or her ability to reinvent herself... the actress took on a man's job and did it stunningly well, holding her own against all the top actors and being remembered despite them."[198] In 2023,Rajeev Masand listed her in a similar list byIndia Today.[199]
Despite appreciation toward achievements in her professional career, Rekha's public image has often been interwoven in the media with speculations about her personal life and relationships. Known for her tendency to shun publicity, Rekha has gained a reputation for being mysterious and reclusive, which drew media comparisons toGreta Garbo.[178][147]Hindustan Times argues that Rekha has shrouded "her life in an intriguing Garbo-like mystery".[190] According toRediff, "Rekha's reclusive nature has gone a long way towards building an aura of mystery around her."[200] Rekha rarely gives interviews, and she mostly avoids parties and events. Asked once about her mysterious image, she denied several times trying to live up to this image, asserting it is press-created: "What mystery? The media is the one that creates this image. It's just that I am basically shy by nature, an introvert and fiercely private."[201] Film journalistAnupama Chopra, who visited Rekha in 2003, wrote that while tabloids had portrayed her as "a reclusive woman twisted bitter by lecherous men and loneliness", in reality Rekha was "none of these", describing her as "chatty and curious, excited and energetic, cheerful and almost illegally optimistic".[191]
She was named the reigning Queen of Indian Cinema at the2012 IIFA Awards held in Singapore, where she was given the "Outstanding Contribution to Indian Cinema" award, the function's Lifetime Achievement Award.[202] In 1999, the columnist-turned-authorMohan Deep published the first biography about her, titledEurekha!: The Intimate Life Story of Rekha (1999).[203] Another biography was released by the journalistYasser Usman in 2016 under the title ofRekha: The Untold Story.[204]
Like my performance in Khiladiyon Ke Khiladi was not up to my standards but you guys loved it and even gave me the Filmfare Award for it.
My performance was appreciated by both my fans and my critics. I thought I looked jet-lagged and tired in the film. The people thought otherwise. They thought I looked ravishing.
Rekha, who can be arguably termed India's Greta Garbo...
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