Rekha, the timeless icon of Bollywood, celebrates her 69th birthday today (October 10). With a career that has spanned over four decades, she has featured in more than forty films. Rekha has made significant contributions not only to commercial cinema but also to arthouse and parallel films. Her accolades include a National Award for her role in the 1981 period romance Umrao Jaan, three Filmfare Awards, and the prestigious Padma Shri in 2010. Rekha undoubtedly remains one of the most enduring and celebrated actors in Indian cinema.
Here are six facts about Rekha you probably did not know.
Rekha, originally named Rekha Ganesan, was born into a Chennai family with a rich cinematic background, as her father was Tamil actor Gemini Ganesan and her mother was Telugu actress Pushpavalli. At the time of her birth, Gemini Ganesan and Pushpavalli were not married, and he did not recognize Rekha as his daughter during her upbringing. The family's financial struggles ultimately led Rekha to pursue a career in acting.
Rekha has one sister, five half-sisters, and a half-brother, all of whom share the same father, Gemini Ganesan. Despite having different mothers, Rekha shares a strong bond with her cousins and remains closely connected to them.
Rekha began her career as a child actor in the 1966 Telugu film Rangula Ratnam. She took on her first leading role in the 1969 Kannada film Operation Jackpot Nalli C.I.D 999. In the same year, she also made her Hindi film debut with Anjana Safar.
The actress from Umrao Jaan kept her parentage a secret for many years. It wasn't until the early 1970s, as she was starting her career in Bollywood, that she finally disclosed the truth about her background.
For the first decade of her life in Bombay, Rekha felt completely out of place. Hailing from the south, she was unfamiliar with Hindi, which made communication with her cast and crew challenging. Additionally, she often longed for her mother, who was seriously ill at the time, adding to her emotional burden. To top it off, she adhered to a strict diet.
Rekha opened up about these difficult years during an interview with Simi Garewal.
For a significant period, Rekha was not regarded as a leading actress in the industry. Her darker complexion, fuller figure, and bold fashion choices in films led many of her peers to dismiss her talent. However, everything changed when she starred alongside Amitabh Bachchan in Do Anjaane (1976) and portrayed a rape victim in Ghar (1978). These performances marked a turning point, prompting audiences and critics alike to recognize her as a serious and capable actress.
