The enigmatic diva of Bollywood

SERIN THANKAM SAM

Bollywood stars come and go, but Rekha remains an enigmatic diva till this day. She is 66, today, still  living as the mysterious diva who many have tried to decode.

Rekha entered the movie industry as a 14-year-old child, and braved it for 40 tough years. Especially during the last few years of her career as an actress, she was virtually playing the role of a hero of her films like ‘Khoon Bhari Maang’, and other hits in the 1990s.

Bhanurekha Ganesan, better known by her stage name Rekha, was born in Chennai, as a lovechild to the famous Tamil actor, Gemini Ganesan and Telugu actress Pushpavalli. She started off with small roles in Kannada and Tamil films.

Rekha’s first Hindi film was ‘Anjana Safar’ with Biswajeet in 1969, directed by Raja Nawathe and produced by Kuljeet Pal. A kiss between Biswajeet and Rekha, filmed without her knowledge, in fact, Biswajeet was forcing himself on the teenage actress, earned her adjectives that is double edged in an industry that is known for its double standards: ‘bold and beautiful’.

Ironically, the ravishing beauty, as we know her today, wasn’t recognised as one in her early years. Shashi Kapoor called her “dark, plump” and wondered, if she ever going to make it. Yet, Rekha went on to become the top female star of Bollywood winning a national award.

Rekha entered Hindi films when actress like Sharmila Tagore, Asha Parekh and Mumtaz were the queens of Bollywood. But there is something special and natural about her. The svelte and oomph-oozing actress with neatly plucked eyebrows, the well-coordinated costumes, the perfectly modulated smoky voice, saw her success in 1976. Her performances in ‘Muqaddar Ka Sikandar’, ‘Ghar’, ( the latter is her personal favourite and she described it as her major breakthrough in “serious acting”) ‘Umrao Jaan’ ,’Ijaazat’, proved her mettle.

The diva never hesitated to play a controversial role in the film ‘Kamasutra’ and has played a negative role in ‘Khiladiyon ka Khiladi’. She has acted in more than 180 films during her career.

As her popularity grew, her colourful private life bolossomed, and of all the linkups, her alleged affair with Amithabh Bachchan remains the best known. Rekha’s onscreen chemistry with the angry young man, who dominated the latter half of the 70’s, resulted in several well-known films including ‘Mr. Natwarlal’ (1979) and ‘Silsila’ (1981).

Rekha’s sensational entry into the wedding of Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh with sindoor in her hair and her statements about how he felt about Mr. Bachchan heated the rumours about her and him. There is also the jaw-dropping casting of Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan and Rekha in a love triangle in Yash Chopra’s ‘Silsila’, which appeared to reflect their collective off-screen status. Muzaffar Ali, who gave Rekha one of her dignified roles through ‘Umrao Jaan’, has once bluntly said that Bachchan should have married Rekha. She was a star, but love and relationship were never in her favour.

Even though she has been a popular figure, she has faced quite a lot of challenges in her life. There have been times when even Bollywood turned against her, especially after the suicide of her husband Mukesh Aggarwal post their much-publicised failed marriage. The irony? The tragedy had nothing to do with Bollywood and yet Rekha was criticised. And suddenly the actor who gave sensational cover stories and uninhibited interviews throughout 1970s and 1980s, closed her doors to everyone. It changed her forever.

Much like Amitabh, Rekha is the only star of her generation who is timeless and aged gracefully. Her evergreen beauty, her fashion, those jaw dropping sarees and being in a league of her own command lot of reverence.

Rekha is an eternal fighter and finally emerged a winner. There is hardly any interview in the last three decades during which she seems to express her feelings without restraint. She appears in the public at time, but always kept the mysterious aura around her.  She is the reclusive diva of Bollywood now.

And all we could do is sing, “Aapki aankhoein mein kuch mehke hue se raaz hai….”