 was born into a Chennai household to Tamil actor Gemini Ganesan and Telugu actor Pushpavalli.){kind=link}
Superstar Rekha has remained the “Evergreen Beauty” of Bollywood, known for her beauty, poise, and irresistible charm. Portraying a multitude of roles and charismatic characters in over 180 films, the actress has successfully forged her own legacy, earning her the title of the “Golden Face” of the Bollywood Silver Screen. Whether it’s acting, music, or dance, Rekha has mastered all three crafts, making her the epitome of talent in Indian cinema.
Rekha won her first Filmfare Award for her outstanding performance in the film ‘Khubsoorat,’ while her classic cult film ‘Umrao Jaan’ earned her the first National Film Award for Best Actress. She was also honored with the fourth-highest civilian award in the country, the ‘Padmashri,’ in 2010 by the Government of India. Additionally, she served as a ‘Member of Parliament’ in the Rajya Sabha for one term.
Today marks the 69th birthday of the ‘Living Legend.’ Let’s delve into some interesting facts about her illustrious life journey, followed by some powerful quotes by the actress.
Facts:
- Rekha, born as Rekha Ganesan, hails from a Chennai household with parents Tamil actor Gemini Ganesan and Telugu actor Pushpavalli. Her parents were not married at the time of her birth, and Gemini did not acknowledge his paternity throughout Rekha’s childhood. The family’s financial struggles eventually led Rekha to pursue a career in acting.
- Rekha dreamt of traveling the world and initially aspired to become an air hostess. However, she was rejected due to her young age.
- Initially, Rekha was not considered a top heroine in the industry. Her dark complexion, fuller figure, and bold fashion choices in her films led her contemporaries to dismiss her. It wasn’t until she starred opposite Amitabh Bachchan in ‘Do Anjaane’ (1976) and portrayed the role of a rape victim in ‘Ghar’ (1978) that people started to take her seriously as an actor.
- Regarding her personal life, there were reports claiming that she was secretly married to her co-star Vinod Mehra. However, she openly refuted these rumors during a chat show hosted by the renowned diva, Simi Garewal.
- Rekha was the first actress in India to launch her fitness program through yoga cassettes and videos. She was also the first heroine in the industry to enroll herself in a gym, starting with swimming and various exercises, at Hotel Ramee International.