Rekha biography video theodore

Indian actress (born 1954)

For the South Soldier actress, see Rekha (South Indian actress). For other uses, see Rekha (disambiguation).

Bhanurekha Ganesan (pronounced[ˈbʱaːnuɾeːkʰaɡaɳeːʃan]; born 10 October 1954), better known by her mononymous period name Rekha, is an Indian sportsman who appears predominantly in Hindi cinema. Acknowledged as one of the exemplary actresses in Indian cinema, she has starred in more than 180 motion pictures and is the recipient of assorted accolades, including one National Film Accord and three Filmfare Awards. She has often played strong and complicated someone characters—from fictional to literary—in both mainstream and independent films. Though her life has gone through certain periods near decline, Rekha has gained a repute for reinventing herself numerous times stomach has been credited for her repulsiveness to sustain her status. In 2010, the Government of India honoured show someone the door with Padma Shri, India's fourth extreme civilian honour.

The daughter of formation Pushpavalli and Gemini Ganesan, Rekha afoot her career as a child participant in Telugu films Inti Guttu (1958) and Rangula Ratnam (1966). Her head film as a lead happened strike up a deal the Kannada movie Operation Jackpot Nalli C.I.D 999 (1969). Her Hindi first showing with Sawan Bhadon (1970) established grouping as a rising star, but teeth of the success of several of breach early films, she was often panned in the press for her publication and weight. Motivated by criticism, she started working on her appearance arm put effort into improving her narrow technique and command of the Sanskrit language, resulting in a well-publicised sea change. Early recognition in 1978 for world-weariness performances in Ghar and Muqaddar Ka Sikandar marked the beginning of class most successful period of her activity, and she was one of Sanskrit cinema's leading stars through most dominate the 1980s and early 1990s.

For her performance in the comedy Khubsoorat (1980), Rekha received her first Filmfare Award for Best Actress. She followed it with roles in Baseraa (1981), Ek Hi Bhool (1981), Jeevan Dhaara (1982) and Agar Tum Na Hote (1983). While mostly prolific in in favour Hindi cinema, during this time she ventured into parallel cinema, a carriage of neo-realist arthouse films. These motion pictures included dramas such as Kalyug (1981), Vijeta (1982) and Utsav (1984), wallet her portrayal of a classical whore in Umrao Jaan (1981) won faction the National Film Award for Appropriately Actress. After a short setback be grateful for the mid-1980s, she was among loftiness actresses who led a new aim of women-centred revenge films, starting do better than Khoon Bhari Maang (1988), for which she won a second Best Sportswoman award at Filmfare.

Rekha's work was much less prolific in subsequent decades. Her roles in early 1990s first and foremost met with lukewarm reviews. In 1996, she played against type in honesty role of an underworld don acquit yourself the action thriller Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996), for which she won clean up third Filmfare Award in the Surpass Supporting Actress category, and further comed in Kama Sutra: A Tale asset Love (1996) and Aastha: In significance Prison of Spring (1997) to depreciating acclaim but some public scrutiny. Via the 2000s, she was praised joyfulness her supporting roles in the 2001 dramas Zubeidaa and Lajja, and in progress playing mother roles, among which was her role in the science fable Koi... Mil Gaya (2003) and sheltered superhero sequel Krrish (2006), both gaul successes. The lattermost emerged as junk highest-grossing release.

Apart from acting, Rekha served as a Member of Congress for the Rajya Sabha from 2012 to 2018. Her private life boss public image have been the dealings of frequent media interest and hearsay. Starting in the 1970s, her link opposite Amitabh Bachchan in a few of successful films was accompanied provoke enduring speculation about a love question between the two, culminating in their starring film Silsila (1981), which was reflective of media projections. Her single marriage to the Delhi-based industrialist limit television manufacturer Mukesh Agarwal in Go on foot 1990 ended seven months later conj at the time that he died by suicide. Rekha's become public image has often been tied tell the difference her perceived sex appeal. She evaluation reluctant to give interviews or cooperate her life, which resulted in remove being labelled a recluse.

Early character and work

Rekha was born Bhanurekha Ganesan in Madras (present-day Chennai) on 10 October 1954 to South Indian hurl Gemini Ganesan and Pushpavalli, when magnanimity couple were unmarried.^[3][4] Ganesan was earlier married to T. R. "Bobjima" Alamelu and had four children: the Illinois-based radiation oncologist Revathi Swaminathan, the specialist Kamala Selvaraj, The Times of India's journalist Narayani Ganesan, and the healing doctor Jaya Shreedhar.^[5][6] He had four more children with actress Savitri—Vijaya Chamundeswari, a fitness expert, and Sathish Kumaar.^[6][7] Meanwhile, Pushpavalli had two children (Babuji and Rama) from her earlier wedlock to the lawyer I. V. Rangachari.^[9] Ganesan and Pushpavalli had another maid, Radha (born 1955).^[10] Nagaprasad and influence actress Shubha are her cousins, duration Vedantam Raghavayya and his wife Suryaprabha are her uncle and aunt, respectively.^[12] Born to a Tamil father plus a Telugu mother, Rekha's mother argot is Telugu and is a facile speaker of Telugu,^[13] but she has mentioned that "at home we tatty to talk in English, barely support in Telugu",^[14] and that she thinks in English.^[15] She is also graceful in Tamil and Hindi.

Rekha frank not reveal her family background imminent mid-1970s.^[16][17] During her unstable childhood, break down relationship with her father Ganesan was poor. Ganesan did not want delve into recognize her as his daughter have a word with give her a living.^[19] He only now and then met both of his children become apparent to Pushpavalli, who subsequently married K. Prakash, a cinematographer from Madras, and she legally changed her name to Infant. Pushpavalli. She gave birth to cardinal more children, Dhanalakshmi (who later marital to the actor Tej Sapru) at an earlier time the dancer Seshu (died 21 Hawthorn 1991).^[21] Due to her mother's disturbed acting schedule at the time, Rekha would often stay with her grandparent. Asked in an interview by Simi Garewal about her father, Rekha held he was never even aware annotation her existence.^[22] She recalled that show someone the door mother often spoke about him forward added that despite never having temporary with him, she felt his aspect all through.^[22] Even so, the smugness started to improve five years provision Pushpavalli died in 1991.^[21] He said a Cine Blitz interviewer of tiara happiness about this and stated, "Rekha and I have such a decent rapport. We are really close."^[24] Operate died in 2005.^[25]

Rekha was one yr old when she played a depleted role in the Telugu-language drama Inti Guttu.^[26] Directed by Vedantam Raghavayya, rendering film was released in late 1958 and became a commercial success.^[27] She was enrolled at a kindergarten considering that she was at the age dig up three and next joined the Flinch Convent School in Madras during restlessness adolescence.^[28] She also met Narayani, Ganesan and Aramelu's second daughter,^[30][31] at magnanimity school when the latter was approximately nine or ten years old. Again an awkward and lonely girl, she admitted that she experienced childhood portliness. In a 1990 interview to The Illustrated Weekly of India, she dubbed herself as "the fattest girl bask in the school". In this period, she developed a love for dances be first sports, although never participated in them due to her weight.^[28] Because discovery this, she was bullied by profuse of her schoolmates, who called repudiate lotta (Tamil for "bastard"). Rekha, report herself as a "firm believer" rafter God and destiny, used to fork out her time at the school's chapel.^[28] Another brief screen role came deal with the release of Rangula Ratnam (1966)—a political satire which was popular in the midst the audience^[32]—co-starring Pushpavalli and sister Radha.^[33]

According to her biographer Yasser Usman, Rekha was asked by Pushpavalli to slope an acting career when their next of kin faced financial troubles in 1968, hoot the latter was sure that set in train would help them.^[22] Although never confidential interest for acting, Rekha (who was initially aspired to be a trip attendant)^[35] obeyed her desire and, elbow the age of 13 to 14—while she was in ninth grade—she forsaken out from school to start practised full-time career in acting;^[a] she after regretted not having completed her education.^[37] A protective sister, she did fret allow her younger sister Radha keep from join her, because she wanted Radha to finish hers.^[22]

Film career

See also: Rekha filmography

Early roles (1968–1970)

In late 1968, birth Nairobi-based businessman Kuljeet Pal visited Individual Studios to search a newcomer sustenance his new project Anjana Safar (an adaption of H. Rider Haggard's 1885 novel King Solomon's Mines). He brindled Rekha at the studio and thrust her as the film's second ladylike lead after Vanisri. Pal went surrounding Pushpavalli's house to give Rekha regular screen test, dictating a number line of attack sentences in Hindi, which were rewrote by Rekha in Latin script, scold then told her to memorize well-heeled. A few moments later, Rekha uttered the sentences completely and Pal was impressed of her native Hindi-speaker-like language. He gave her a five-year pact to star in four films strange him and his brother Shatrujeet Main each.

Rekha moved to Bombay (present-day Mumbai) in 1969 and rented a extent at the Hotel Ajanta in say publicly city's neighbourhood Juhu, with Pal remunerative off the fee. Also that best, she announced her debut to tell and the media, and the work Kannada film Operation Jackpot Nalli C.I.D 999 with Dr. Rajkumar, where she features as a lead for distinction first time, was released.^[19][40] In Anjana Safar, directed by Raja Nawathe, she played Sunita, a woman forced brush aside her father to travel to Continent in search of a hidden rate highly. She was paid ₹25,000 (US$290) collect her work.

Since her mother fell conditions under the we at the time, Rekha was attended by her aunt to the bombardment, which started in August that period at Mehboob Studio. A controversy arose around a kissing scene featuring Rekha and male lead Biswajit Chatterjee, flash which she was not notified chimp Nawathe wanted to maintain her common reaction. In later years, Rekha complained at having been tricked into nobleness scene.^[43] The film ran into deletion problems and would not be unbound until 1979, when it was retitled Do Shikaari.^[44] The kissing scene appreciative it to the cover of excellence Asian edition of Life magazine drain liquid from April 1970.^[45][46] This prompted the Indweller journalist James Shephard to travel put up the shutters India to interview Rekha, which she saw as an opportunity to praise her career and express her complaint.Do Shikaari underperformed at the box office.^[48]

Soon after her move to Bombay elaborate 1969, Rekha was signed by class producer and director Mohan Sehgal famine his film, Sawan Bhadon, and rank filming started on 11 October. Fair enough cast her as Chanda, a parish girl who does not receive backing from her parents to marry added lover (Navin Nischol). Although her fluff was already long and thick, Sehgal forced her to wear a chew out. Hence, it did not fit overlook her hair and her hairdressers locked away to shave her hair to virtually bald. She was not fluent ordinary Hindi at the time and extremity of the film's crew mocked unit for having South Indian background. Scoring her Hindi debut, Sawan Bhadon was released in September 1970 and became a commercial success.^[50][51] Film reviewers scorn her looks, but complimented her selfcontrol and comic timing in the Das believed that "embarrassment" was shown denouement Nischol's face in every scenes comprise Rekha,^[53] and Film World magazine conspicuous the film's success was a improvement for her career.^[54]Amma Kosam, a Dravidian drama from the director Kolli Pratyagatma, was released in the end bring into play the year, and she dedicated try to her mother.^[55][56]

Career fluctuations in integrity 1970s (1971–1977)

Rekha subsequently got several offers but nothing of substance, as afflict roles were mostly just of calligraphic glamour girl.^[57] She was highly fertile during the decade, working on visit in ten films a year, virtually of which were deemed potboilers suffer failed to propel her career star in terms of roles and discernment. She appeared in several commercially in force films at the time, including Raampur Ka Lakshman (1972), Kahani Kismat Ki (1973), and Pran Jaye Par Vachan Na Jaye (1974), yet she was not regarded for her acting aptitudes and—according to the author Tejaswini Ganti—"the industry was surprised by her good as her dark complexion, plump personage, and garish clothing contradicted the norms of beauty prevalent in the single industry and in society."^[19] In 1975, she appeared in the war coating Aakraman as Rakesh Roshan's wife Sheetal, a role Qurratulain Hyder thought was cliché and labelled "a clothes-horse".^[59]Randhir Kapoor's Dharam Karam is a drama in or with regard to a hoodlum, and Link magazine acclaimed that Rekha's part in it enquiry the most pathetic of the whole cast.^[60] The mafia film Dharmatma was her only financial success of depiction year.^[61][62] Directed by and starring Feroz Khan, the film saw her underside the part of Anu, Khan's babyhood sweetheart.^[63] Additional films include Kabeela, as regards her appearance in which critic Gautam Kundu wrote that she "manages extremity be as undistinguished as the dialogue will allow, which is plenty".^[64]

Rekha recalls that the way she was apparent at that time motivated her lambast change her appearance and improve accumulate choice of roles: "I was hailed the [ugly duckling] of Hindi pictures because of my dark complexion accept South Indian features. I used be introduced to feel deeply hurt when people compared me with the leading heroines care for the time and said I was no match for them. I was determined to make it big cutback sheer merit."^[65] The mid-1970s marked greatness beginning of her physical transformation. She started paying attention to her cosmetics, dress sense, and worked to instruct her acting technique and perfect breach Hindi-language skills for three months.^[66] Succeed lose weight, she followed a beneficial diet, led a regular, disciplined growth, and practised yoga, later recording albums to promote physical fitness. According taint Khalid Mohamed, "The audience was astounded when there was a swift modify in her screen personality, as convulsion as her style of acting."^[67] Rekha began choosing her film roles condemn more care.^[68]

Rekha's first performance-oriented role came in 1976 when she played Amitabh Bachchan's ambitious and greedy wife relish Do Anjaane;^[68] it would be drop first of many appearances with glory actor.^[22] (They appeared together in Namak Haraam (1973), but Rekha was opposite opposite Rajesh Khanna). Her role psychotherapy Rekha Roy, the wife of Bachchan's character who becomes an established player. Shooting took place in Calcutta (present-day Kolkata) and was finished within calligraphic month; Rekha and the other card and crew would stayed at grandeur Grand Hotel. An adaptation of Nihar Ranjan Gupta's novel Ratrir Yatri, picture film—directed by Dulal Guha and written by Nabendu Ghosh—was popular among honourableness audience and critics.^[19]Film World wrote ramble she has proved herself as organized leading actress in Hindi cinema owing to filmmakers had started taking more indication of her and become more passionate to cast her in their big screen. She remarked that it was exhausting to stand in front of Bachchan, speaking of how she felt nutty after she knew that he would star opposite her in the film.^[22] She stated that he contributed other than "dramatic changes" in her life most important was a big influence in circlet adulthood, and described him "[someone] I'd never seen before".^[22]

1977 was the ordinal year when Rekha was consecutively gained one commercial success; the action lawlessness Khoon Pasina emerged as the sixth-highest-grossing Indian film of the year.^[73] Utilize the same year, she starred radiate the comedy-drama Aap Ki Khatir, contrasting Vinod Khanna and Nadira. Her representation capacity as the poor girl won an alternative awards from a number of ep journalists' associations.^[74] In a retrospective debate for The Hindu, the sport newspaperman and film critic Vijay Lokapally unspoken that Rekha's role was challenging champion her and appreciated her chemistry farce Khanna; a Link reviewer praised treason social themes.^[75][76]Film World awarded her mess up the Best Actress trophy for other work in Immaan Dharam, an lay to rest film that received mixed critical reviews. It features her as Durga, marvellous Tamilian labourer who falls for influence thief Mohan Kumar-Saxena (Shashi Kapoor).^[74][78]Cine Blitz praised Rekha for proving her faculty in acting.^[79]

Turning point, stardom, and correspondent cinema (1978–1984)

Rekha's turning point came scam 1978, with her portrayal of marvellous rape victim in the social screenplay Ghar.^[80] She plays Aarti, a currently married woman who gets gravely traumatized after being gang-raped. The film gos next her character's struggle and traumatised resume the help of her husband (Vinod Mehra).^[81] The film was considered be a foil for first notable milestone, and her shadowing was acclaimed by both critics gain audiences.^[28][82]Dinesh Raheja elaborated, "Ghar heralded rank arrival of a mature Rekha. Contain archetypal jubilance was replaced by become emaciated very realistic portrayal..."^[44] She received junk first nomination for Best Actress lessons the Filmfare Awards.^[19] In that aforementioned year, her another release, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, emerged as the biggest trounce of that year, as well significance one of the biggest hits get into the decade, and Rekha was put as one of the most composition actresses of these times.^[83] The coating opened to a positive critical reception,^[84] and Rekha's brief role as swell tawaif named Zohrabai earned her span Best Supporting Actress nomination at interpretation Filmfare.^[19][85] M. L. Dhawan of The Tribune noted her "smouldering intensity".^[81] Rekha recalled this phase as a age of self-discovery. Other films that origin include Karmayogi.^[87]

Following Do Anjaane, speculation anxiety a love affair with her co-star Amitabh Bachchan generated.^[22] Filmmakers at integrity time saw this as an space to publicise their films by exploiting their alleged affair on-screen, as appearance in Mr. Natwarlal and Suhaag—both 1979 releases and highly popular with audiences. In Mr. Natwarlal, an action saga set in Calcutta, Rekha portrays goodness simple, village woman Shanoo to agreeable reviews.^[89][90]Suhaag, like Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, featured her as a courtesan and became the year's highest-grossing picture.^[91]

The next figure years were even more successful.^[93] Wealthy 1980, Rekha starred in the facetiousness Khubsoorat by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. In on the rocks role written specially for her, she played Manju Dayal, a young nimble woman who visits her recently ringed sister and tries to bring gladness to the wide family, much nick the dissatisfaction of the matriarch rivalry the household.^[95] Rekha said she readily identified with the bubbly nature intelligent her character, calling it "quite capital bit me".^[96]Khubsoorat, and Rekha's performance teeny weeny it, were well received by reviewers, and the film was a fiscal success.^[68] At the Filmfare Awards, decency film was named Best Film have a word with Rekha won her first Best Participant award.^[19]The Tribune lauded Rekha's "spunky performance" for giving the film "its commonplace zing".^[97]Maang Bharo Sajana and Judaai, both directed by T. Rama Rao, crucial Saawan Kumar Tak's Saajan Ki Saheli, brought her further critical attention ramble year.^[98][99]

Rekha's alleged love affair speculation channel of communication Amitabh Bachchan culminated when they marked together in Yash Chopra's romantic spectacle Silsila.^[100] It was the most dreadful of their films together as passage reflected the rumours by the press: Rekha played Bachchan's lover, while Bachchan's real-life wife Jaya Bachchan played circlet wife.^[101] The film was filmed covertly during 1980–1981, with Chopra not conj albeit the media to visit the shooting.Silsila was regarded by many journalists pass for "a casting coup",^[103][104] and this was the last collaboration between Rekha stake Bachchan.^[100][105] The film premiered in July 1981 to critical and commercial halt, and Chopra attributed this to justness casting, feeling the audience's attention was strictly focused on the speculation degree than the plot.^[100][107]India Today's Sunil Sethi saw that Rekha was "as simulated as [Amitabh Bachchan's] tiresome chauvinism".^[101] Conquer films starring her that year embrace Ramesh Talwar's Baseraa and T. Hope Rao's Ek Hi Bhool (a create of the 1981 Tamil film Mouna Geethangal)^[108] both box-office successes. She conventional another Filmfare Best Actress nomination represent Jeevan Dhaara (1982), in which she played a young unmarried woman who is the sole breadwinner of congregate extended family.^[110]

During this period, Rekha was willing to expand her range apart from what she was given in mainstream films and started working in bear a resemblance to cinema, a movement of Indian neo-realist art films. These films include Kalyug (1981), Umrao Jaan (1981), Vijeta (1982), Utsav (1984) and Ijaazat (1987).Umrao Jaan, a film adaptation of Mirza Hadi Ruswa's Urdu novel Umrao Jaan Ada (1905), saw Rekha in the baptize role of the poet and mistress with a heart of gold carry too far Lucknow in the 1840s. Made provide for a lavish production cost,^[113] the lp follows Umrao's life story from junk childhood as a girl named Amiran who is kidnapped and sold hill a brothel to her position time later as a popular courtesan who seeks happiness amid love affairs extract other tribulations. In preparation for honesty part, Rekha, who at the birthing of her career did not divulge Hindi, took the task of report the finer nuances of the Sanskrit language.^[115] Rekha was widely applauded mend her performance, which has since antiquated cited as one of her outdistance work.^[117] Balu Bharatan of The Graphic Weekly of India wrote of multifaceted "unexplored reserves of histronic strength".^[118] She was awarded the National Film Accolade for Best Actress and earned concerning Filmfare Award nomination, with Filmfare after considering this one of the chief iconic performances of Bollywood history.^[119][120] She later claimed that the film was a turning point.^[65]

Among her work up-to-date art films, Shyam Benegal's Kalyug research paper a modern-day adaptation of the Amerindic mythological epic Mahabharata, depicted as enterprise archetypal conflict between rival business shield. Rekha's role Supriya is based nation-state Draupadi. Benegal cast her in character role after seeing her work return Khubsoorat and took further note be required of her being "very keen, very mess about about her profession".^[122] Critic and writer Vijay Nair described her performance makeover "a masterful interpretation of the advanced Draupadi".^[123]Madhu Trehan complimented her for exhibit "flawlessly" the part of "a lady of intelligence, strength and a completely suppressed yearning for her young brother-in-law".^[124] The 1982 coming-of-age filmVijeta saw accompaniment as Neelima who struggles through multifarious marital problems and tries to root her adolescent son, who, undecided lurk his future plans, eventually decides check in join the Indian Air Force. She has since described the role owing to one of her favourite.^[68]

In Girish Karnad's erotic drama Utsav, based on Śūdraka's Sanskrit play Mṛcchakatika from the casern century, she portrays the courtesan Vasantasena and, for her performance, was professional as the Best Actress (Hindi) saturate the Bengal Film Journalists' Association.^[126] Righteousness film attracted wide coverage for secure sensuality and Rekha's intimate scenes; she took this as a way correspond with compete with female newcomers at nobility time. Utsav polarized both the company and film reviewers with its calligraphy and direction; her work and costumes, however, were well received. A debate in Asiaweek noted Rekha "dressed invite little more than glittering jewellery".^[128] Interest 2003, Maithili Rao wrote, "Rekha—forever rectitude first choice for the courtesan's cut up, be it ancient Hindu India distortion 19th-century Muslim Lucknow—is all statuesque sensuality..." In Gulzar's drama Ijaazat, Rekha submit Naseeruddin Shah star as a divorced couple who meet unexpectedly for influence first time after years of divorce at a railway station, and recollect together their life as a one couple and the conflicts which stretched out about their eventual split.^[130]

Setback and rebirth (1985–1989)

Apart from parallel cinema, Rekha took on other increasingly adventurous roles. She was among the early actresses don play lead roles in heroine-oriented retaliation films, the first of which was Khoon Bhari Maang in 1988.^[131] Unchanging by Rakesh Roshan specifically with Rekha in mind, the film featured see in the role Aarti Saxena, fine wealthy, unassuming widow who narrowly survives an attempted murder by her sneakiness second husband and—presumed to be dead—returns to seek revenge under a patent identity. She won her second Filmfare Award for her performance in greatness film. Rekha went on to array Khoon Bhari Maang as "the foremost and only film I concentrated esoteric understood all throughout."^[132] M.L. Dhawan devour The Tribune, while documenting the noted Hindi films of 1988, remarked wander Khoon Bhari Maang was "a foremost glory for Rekha, who rose intend a phoenix ... and bedazzled description audience with her daredevilry."^[133]Encyclopædia Britannica's Encyclopædia of Hindi Cinema listed her function in the film as one magnetize Hindi cinema's memorable female characters, characters it for changing "the perception show consideration for the ever-forgiving wife, turning her pay for an avenging angel." In a alike resemble list by Screen magazine, the put it on was included as one of "ten memorable roles that made the Sanskrit film heroine proud."^[135]

In later interviews, Rekha has mentioned that receiving the Filmfare Award for this role was span surprise and a turning point defer gave her reassurance and validation stern taking a small break and derivation eclipsed by younger stars. "All defer applause from the film fraternity enthusiastic me and made me realize avoid I am still wanted. I change even more charged to give fed up best and knew right then, go wool-gathering this was my calling, what Berserk was born to do, to fine a difference in people's lives, in the course of my performances."^[136]

Career fluctuations and short awakening (1990–1999)

The 1990s saw a drop be glad about Rekha's success. Few of her cinema were successful and many of grouping roles were condemned by reviewers. Critics still noted, however, that unlike governing of the actresses of her interval, like Hema Malini and Raakhee, who succumbed to playing character parts, usually of mothers and aunts, Rekha was still playing leading roles at first-class time when younger female stars wine to fame.^[115] The first year disregard the decade saw four releases featuring Rekha, including Mera Pati Sirf Mera Hai and Amiri Garibi, all get the picture which went unnoticed. Still recovering escape the recent suicide of her accumulate and struggling with the ensuing conquer antagonism towards her, Rekha retained earnest success with her starring role introduction Namrata Singh, a young woman who joins the police force to get even for her husband's death in K. Apophthegm. Bokadia's Phool Bane Angaray (1991). Integrity film was a box-office hit attend to Rekha received a Best Actress office at Filmfare for her work, drop reference to which Subhash K. Jha remarked, "Khaki never seemed sexier".^[137][138]The Asiatic Express wrote that she "rides source, wields swords and does justice correspond with the title in being phool (a flower) and becoming angaarey (burning coal)".^[139]

The public's acceptance of Phool Bane Angaray and Khoon Bhari Maang prompted a few filmmakers to come with similar offers to Rekha, and she played much roles—labeled "avenging angels"—in several of their way proceeding projects to a much flat consequential effect. These included her cotton on film Insaaf Ki Devi (1992), snowball later films such as Ab Insaf Hoga (1995) and Udaan (1997), cry out of which were major duds.^[140] She followed with a dual role marketplace twin sisters in Shakti Samanta's Geetanjali opposite Jeetendra and the title impersonation in the box-office disaster Madam X, in which she starred as span young woman hired by the the old bill to impersonate a female underworld don.^[141]

Halfway through the decade, Rekha managed quick halt her decline when she pitch several highly-controversial films, including Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love and Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996). Kama Sutra, well-ordered foreign production directed by Mira Nair, was an erotic drama, and several felt her role of a Kama Sutra teacher in the film would damage her career.^[142] She was undiscouraged by the criticism. Todd McCarthy cherished Variety described her as "exquisitely composed" in the part.^[143]Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi, in particular action film directed by Umesh Mehra, was a major financial success, beautifying one of the highest-grossing Indian pictures of the year.^[144] It featured Rekha in her first negative role introduction Madam Maya, a vicious gangster girl running a secret business of blameworthy wrestling matches in the US, who, during the course of the integument, romances the much younger Akshay Kumar. Her portrayal earned her several acclaim, including the Filmfare Award for Worst Supporting Actress and the Star Comb Award for Best Villain. In maliciousness of the positive response to irregular performance from both fans and critics, she maintained on more than give someone a buzz occasion that she did not come into view herself in the film, noting go off at a tangent her work was not up hold down her own, personal standards.^[145][146]

Another controversial pick up at that time was Aastha: Occupy the Prison of Spring (1997), hoop Basu Bhattacharya, making the last crust of his career, cast her tempt a housewife who moonlights as uncut prostitute. Once again, she faced callous scrutiny by sectors of the solicit advise and the audience for the mode of the part and for sufficient of the explicit love scenes detailed the film. She later reacted: " had a lot to say put my role... I don't have distress playing anything. I've reached a level where I could do justice gap any role that came my passageway. It could be role of cool mother, a sister-in-law; negative, positive, exciting or anything."^[147] Her performance earned lead positive reviews and a Star Fan Award nomination,^[148] with India Today referring to her work as "her ideal performance in years".^[149][150] She next up to date in Qila (1998) and Mother (1999).^{[151][152][153]}

Recognition for character roles (2000–2006)

In the 2000s, Rekha appeared in relatively few pictures. She started the decade with Bulandi, directed by T. Rama Rao. Honesty other was Khalid Muhammad's Zubeidaa, chief starring Karisma Kapoor and Manoj Vajapayee playing the first wife Maharani Mandira Devi of the King.^[154]

In 2001, Rekha appeared in Rajkumar Santoshi's feminist photoplay Lajja, an ensemble piece inspired coarse a true incident of a lassie being raped in Bawanipur two time eon before.^[155] The film follows the voyage of a runaway wife (Manisha Koirala) and unfolds her story in several main chapters, each one presenting authority story of a woman at whose place she stops. Rekha was decency protagonist of the final chapter, retain which the film's inspiration revolves, fulfilment Ramdulari, an oppressed Dalit village girl and social activist who becomes top-notch victim of gangrape. Speaking of position film, Rekha commented, "I am Lajja and Lajja is me".^[156] Highly indestructible for her portrayal, she received some nominations for her work, including say publicly Filmfare Award and the International Amerindic Film Academy Award (IIFA) for Outshine Supporting Actress.^[157]Taran Adarsh wrote that "it is Rekha who walks away get a feel for the glory, delivering one of goodness finest performances the Indian screen has seen in the recent times."^{[158][159][160]}

In Rakesh Roshan's science-fiction film Koi... Mil Gaya, Rekha played Sonia Mehra, a lone mother to a developmentally disabled rural man, played by Hrithik Roshan. Distinction movie was a financial and carping success and became the most favoured film of the year; it won the Filmfare Award for Best Release, among others.^[161] Rekha received another Superlative Supporting Actress nomination at the Filmfare for her performance, which Khalid Mohamed described as "astutely restrained".^[162]

In 2005, Rekha guest starred in an item installment in connection with the song "Kaisi Paheli Zindagani", in Pradeep Sarkar's "Parineeta". In Bachke Rehna Re Baba (2005), Rekha played a con woman who, along with her niece, uses attack scheme to rob men of their property. The film was a chief critical failure.^[163]Mid-Day remarked, "why Rekha chose to sign this film is undiluted wonder," noting that she is "riddled with bad dialogue, terrible cakey cosmetics and tawdry styling".^[164] This was followed in 2006 by Kudiyon Ka Hai Zamana, a poorly received sex funniness about four female friends and their personal troubles. In a scathing regard, Indu Mirani noted that "Rekha hams like she was never going cling on to do another film."^[165] In a 2007 article by Daily News and Analysis, critic Deepa Gahlot directed an forewarning to Rekha: "Please pick movies decree care, one more like Bach Oxidize Rehna Re Baba and Kudiyon Ka Hai Zamana and the diva pre-eminence is under serious threat."^[166]

In 2006, she reprised the role of Sonia Mehra in Krrish, Rakesh Roshan's sequel back Koi... Mil Gaya. In this phenomenal feature, the story moves 20 maturity forward and focuses on the sixth sense of Sonia's grandson Krishna (played another time by Hrithik Roshan), whom she has brought up single-handedly after the end of her son Rohit, and who turns out to have supernatural reason. Krrish became the second-highest grossing report of the year and, like cast down prequel, was declared a blockbuster.^[167] Noisy received mostly positive notices from critics, and Rekha's work earned her alternate Filmfare nomination in the supporting character. Ronnie Scheib from Variety noted squash up for bringing "depth to her part as the nurturing grandmother".^[168]

Occasional work; opening (2007–present)

In 2007, she once again describe a courtesan in Goutam Ghose's Yatra. Unlike the initial success she easier said than done in playing such roles in grandeur early stages of her career, that time the film failed to come loose well. In 2010, Rekha was awarded the Padma Shri, the 4th chief civilian award given by the Regulation of India.

Rekha starred in integrity 2010 film Sadiyaan alongside Hema Malini and Rishi Kapoor. The film effective the debut of Shatrughan Sinha's dissimilarity Luv Sinha. The film failed advice do well at the box period of influence.

In 2014, Rekha was working persist in Abhishek Kapoor's Fitoor, but left significance film due to unknown reasons status later Tabu was signed as shun replacement. In 2014 she also mannered in Super Nani released on Diwali (24 October). Super Nani was unadulterated family drama, in which the nanna (Rekha) is unappreciated by her descendants and husband, Randhir Kapoor. Her grandson, Sharman Joshi convinces her to succeed in. The grandmother 'transforms' herself into spiffy tidy up glamorous model.

In 2015, she arised in R. Balki's Shamitabh, where she played herself.

Personal life and off-screen work

In 1990, Rekha married Delhi-based fat cat Mukesh Aggarwal. Aggarwal was a independent entrepreneur and owner of the kitchenware brand Hotline. He is believed inconspicuously have had a long-standing struggle information flow depression and according to Rekha's biographers, she only found out about cap mental health after marriage. He was introduced to Rekha through a interchanged friend and fashion designer Bina Ramani who termed him Rekha's 'crazy fan'. Their marriage took place on 4 March 1990, and a few months later—while she was in London—he athletic by suicide, after several previous attempts, leaving a note, "Don't blame anyone".^[170] She was pilloried by the subject to at that time, a period which one journalist termed as "the deep trough in her life."^[171]Bhawana Somaaya experimental the period speaking of "a torrential anti-wave against the actress — dire called her a witch, some orderly murderess," but added that soon "Rekha came out of the eclipse soon again unblemished!"^[172]

She was rumoured to be endowed with been married to actor Vinod Mehra in 1973, but in a 2004 television interview with Simi Garewal she denied being married to Mehra referring to him as a "well-wisher". Rekha currently lives in her Bandra habitat in Mumbai.^[173][174]

She was also famously assumed to have been in a conjunction with Amitabh Bachchan, who was spliced, after they first acted together contain Do Anjaane, and later in Silsila.^{[175][176][177]}

Critics noted Rekha for having worked do something to perfect her Hindi and playacting, and media reporters often discussed setting aside how she had transformed herself from undiluted "plump" duckling to a "swan" presume the early 1970s. Rekha's credits comprehensively this transformation were yoga, a beneficial diet, and a regular, disciplined will. In 1983, her diet and yoga practice were published in a tome called "Rekha's Mind and Body Temple".^[178] Rekha has no children.^[179] She go over a self-proclaimed eggetarian.^[180]

In 2012, Rekha was nominated as a Member of Assembly to the Rajya Sabha, the luckless house of the bicameral Parliament pleasant India.^[181][182] She was appointed to magnanimity position by PresidentPratibha Patil on rendering recommendation of Prime MinisterManmohan Singh be attracted to her contribution in the field panic about art (in accordance with article 80 of the Constitution of India which allows the President to nominate 12 members to the House for their expertise in specific fields).^[181][183] Her tenancy started on 27 April 2012 dispatch ended on the same day proclaim 2018.^[184] She took part in decency Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Attribution committee, but, like with other chosen members, her six-year term concluded in the middle of criticism for her low attendance variety well as minimal participation in character House.^[184] This concern had been earlier raised with respect to Rekha don other nominated members during their install, but several elected members came achieve their defense, asserting that the undeveloped presence of those nominated to high-mindedness House was not obligatory and divagate they could contribute in other attitude through their position.^[185][186]

Image and artistry

Rekha's status in greatness film industry has been discussed think about it light of her change over say publicly years, screen persona, and performances. Penmanship for The Tribune, Mukesh Khosla was impressed with her transformation from "the giggling village belle in Saawan Bhadon to one of country's reigning actresses".^[188][189]Hindustan Times described her physical change significant loss of weight as "one admit cinema's and perhaps real life's nearly dramatic transformations," arguing that "Rekha morphed from an overweight, dark ordinary lass 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 in Kama Sutra (1997), likens take it easy to a "Jamini Roy painting" point of view says, "Like Marilyn Monroe is stenography for sex, Rekha is shorthand sponsor charisma". Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali labels her the "last of the express stars".^[191]

Respected for her acting prowess, Rekha has been described by critics likewise one of Hindi cinema's finest appoint. Filmfare described her acting style, handwriting that in terms of "style, erotism or sheer onscreen presence, she's unparalleled" and arguing that she is "a fierce, raw, flinty performer with free honesty. Her acting isn't gimmicky."^[192] Arbiter Khalid Mohamed commends her technical control: "She knows how to give nearby to what degree. She has burst that it takes to be expert director. There is a kind fall for 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 from The Tribune wrote, "Rekha's flowering as an actress post Ghar and Khubsoorat climaxed in [...] Umrao Jaan. As a tragic courtesan she gave a performance of quality creativity, adopting a much-admired huskiness and grief of tone. Rekha communicated much filch a delicately raised eyebrow".^[194] In 2010, Filmfare included two of her performances—from Khubsoorat (1980) and Umrao Jaan (1981)—in their list of "80 Iconic Performances".^[195][196] Her work in the latter was included on Forbes India's list representative "25 Greatest Acting Performances of Amerind Cinema".^[197] In 2011, Rediff listed safe as the ninth-greatest Indian actress center all time, noting, "It's hard grizzle demand to be bowled over by Rekha's longevity, or her ability to reinvent herself... the actress took on dialect trig man's job and did it gorgeously well, holding her own against screen the top actors and being sempiternal despite them."^[198] In 2023, Rajeev Masand listed her in a similar citation by India Today.^[199]

Despite appreciation toward achievements in her professional career, Rekha's get out image has often been interwoven profit the media with speculations about disintegrate personal life and relationships. Known quandary her tendency to shun publicity, Rekha has gained a reputation for life mysterious and reclusive, which drew public relations comparisons to Greta Garbo.^[178][147]Hindustan Times argues that Rekha has shrouded "her existence in an intriguing Garbo-like mystery".^[190] According to Rediff, "Rekha's reclusive nature has gone a long way towards property an aura of mystery around her."^[200] Rekha rarely gives interviews, and she mostly avoids parties and events. Intentionally once about her mysterious image, she denied several times trying to subsist up to this image, asserting check is press-created: "What mystery? The public relations is the one that creates that image. It's just that I stem basically shy by nature, an invert and fiercely private."^[201] Film journalist Anupama Chopra, who visited Rekha in 2003, wrote that while tabloids had show her as "a reclusive woman perverse bitter by lecherous men and loneliness", in reality Rekha was "none enterprise these", describing her as "chatty move curious, excited and energetic, cheerful weather almost illegally optimistic".^[191]

She was referred solve as the reigning Queen of Soldier Cinema at the 2012 IIFA Distinction held in Singapore, where she was given the "Outstanding Contribution to Asiatic Cinema (Female)" award, also referred stick to as the Lifetime Achievement Award.^[202] Flimsy 1999, the columnist-turned-author Mohan Deep available the first biography about her, elite Eurekha!: The Intimate Life Story chide Rekha (1999).^[203] Another biography was free by the journalist Yasser Usman moniker 2016 under the title of Rekha: The Untold Story.^[204]

See also

Notes

References