Actress Rekha’s sindoor mystery

Actress Rekha has been through a long journey in Bollywood and has been seen in almost 180 movies. With her amazing fashion sense and unique way of carrying herself, Rekha was always a step ahead of any other actresses of her time.

Rekha has played the role of lover, wife, mother, and even grandmother. She is also a well-known classical dancer of her time, her Ghazal singing talent is also mesmerizing.

Dil cheez kya hai aap meri jaan lijiye, bas ek baar mera kaha maan lijiye… This is not just a song, it’s a story of a woman, a Bollywood queen who has always been in controversies because of her love life.

Rekha’s Love Affairs

Rekha fell in love multiple times, but still, in her sixties, she is single and alone. It’s the story of none other than the beautiful and ravishing diva of Bollywood Rekha, who fought a long way to be where she is today. TV journalist and author Yasser Usman wrote Rekha: The Untold Story, a biography on Rekha’s life.

Jeetendra

One of the first controversial affairs of Rekha in Bollywood was with the superstar of that era Jeetendra. He was known for his casual flirting and talking lovingly with co-female stars.

Rekha and Jeetendra had done a lot of films together. Rekha was serious about her relationship with Jeetendra Kapoor but he was already married and when rumors of their dating came out, Rekha was categorized as a HomeWrecker.

Kiran Kumar

It was a short fling not a relationship for Rekha. Kiran Kumar is the son of famous Bollywood villain Jeevan, who used to rule the Bollywood industry at that time. Before it starts and goes for a long run, both decide to quit the relationship even before it starts.

Vinod Mehra

One of the famous relationships of Rekha was with actor Vinod Mehra. Both got married at a small and secret wedding ceremony but the wedding didn’t last long.

As per the reports Vinod Mehra’s mother never wanted Rekha as her son’s wife and thus she disrespected her when the duo went to see her in Kolkata. Vinod wanted her to stay until the matter was sorted. But in an interview with Simmi Garewal in 2004 denied having any marital relationship with him.

Amitabh Bachchan

​​Rekha and Amitabh’s love angle is the most discussed romantic relationship in Bollywood. The actress from time to time indirectly confessed her love for the Shahenshah of Bollywood. Rekha and Amitabh’s first movie together is Do Anjaane. They were seen together in Yash Chopra’s superhit, Silsila.

When the story of Rekha and Amitabh started brewing in Industry, Jaya Bachchan, wife of Amitabh Bachchan restricted him from working with Rekha.

Mukesh Agarwal

Rekha got married to a  Delhi-based business tycoon, Mukesh Agarwal. According to the biography  Rekha: The Untold Story, Mukesh was already dealing with acute chronic depression when she got married.

Rekha had no idea about his depression and he wasn’t happy with Rekha’s acting career in Bollywood. When they got separated that Mukesh went into more depression and then he committed suicide.

The media put her on trial and she was called the vamp, maneater, etc but she was undergrounded after some time she again emerged as queen.

Sanjay Dutt

After years, in the 80s, Rekha and Sanjay Dutt’s affair rumor came out. The duo never accepted the same. It was also rumored that Rekha puts in a sindoor. But all the rumors were always rumors because both of them denied the same.

Akshay Kumar

In 1996, Akshay Kumar was doing a film, Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi, Rekha was the lead actress in the movie. Rumors of Akshay Kumar and Rekha getting close to each other started spreading.

Akshay was already with a girl Raveena Tandon at that time and their story went around in Bollywood. He soon denied all the facts and rumors spreading around.

Why does Rekha put Sindoor?

At  Neetu Singh and Rishi Kapoor’s wedding on January 22, 1980, where almost all the stars of the Bollywood industry, including Amitabh-Jaya, were present to witness the beautiful wedding of Neetu and Rishi Kapoor.

Rekha made a ‘sensational entry’ at the venue in a white saree and she put Sindoor. everyone started whispering and the news went viral at the entire wedding venue. The media all rolled their cameras at Rekha instead of Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh.

Once asked by the Media Why she put sindoor, as she is not married!’ She replied that, from where she belongs, sindoor is like a fashion to wear Sindoor.

From reports, it’s said that she put in a sindoor for Amitabh Bachchan, as she was immensely in love with him because he was married before, but they both never accepted their love in front of the world.

Whatever we read or heard, but above all, she is a legend and queen of the Bollywood industry. Still, she looks young, magnificent, and charming as ever. She ruled the industry for ages and her work will always be appreciated no matter how many stars will come and go.

Bollywood Actress Rekha FAQs

Q. What is the age of Bollywood Actress Rekha?

A. 10 Oct 1954 born Rekha is 69-yr-old (2023).

Q. Who is the Husband of Rekha?

A. Rekha Married Delhi businessman Mukesh Agarwal but divorced, he died in 1990.

Q. Why does Rekha put Sindoor?

A. Rekha herself called it fashion but fans guessed it for Amitabh Bachchan.

Q. Who is Rekha?

A. Rekha is a very famous and 80’s leading actress in Bollywood films.

The Mumbai Film Industry, or ‘Bollywood,’ as it is affectionately known, is among the world’s biggest and busiest film industries where actresses are one of the most important foundations of filmmaking, and their selection establishes the tone for the film and decides its ultimate success or failure.

Bollywood has produced some of the most talented women in cinema history. From the Black and White period to the present, there have already been numerous performers in Hindi films who have won the hearts of millions of viewers with their lovable acting techniques. When it comes to the Bollywood film world, there are a few names that we cannot neglect, one such name is Rekha.

Early life

On October 10, 1954, in Madras, India, Rekha was born. She was born to act. Her mother Pushpavalli was a Telugu actress, and her father Gemini Ganesan was a well-known Tamil actor. Her mom and dad are reported to have never tied a bridal knot. People believe Rekha’s father didn’t even declare his paternity when she was born.

There were allegations about her father’s connection with Telugu actress Savitri before she was 10 years old, which caused her mother much pain. As a result, her mother began living with her children in her own different house. She was supposed to stop her studies since she was connected to her mother, and her health gradually worsened. She grew up and started acting at fourteen for her mother’s treatment and financial support. She began working in the Indian film industry in the early 1970s.Backward Skip 10sPlay VideoForward Skip 10s

Film Career

Because there was a lot of financial pressure in her house at the time, she had no choice but to act. She was looking for work at that time, and because both of her parents worked in the Telugu film industry, she was able to secure a role in one film named Rangula Ratnam, which was her first public debut as a child actress (in 1966). Her first leading role as a heroine was in the Kannada film Goadalli CID 999. She appeared in Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi films. Her Hindi movie Sawan Bhadon was a box office hit. This film rocketed her to celebrity in a moment.

After that, she was offered many opportunities, but most of them required her to play a glamorous girl. And thus, she appeared in several films, some of which were highly acclaimed. Rampur Ka Lakshman, Kahani Kismat Ki, and Pran Jaaye Par Vachan Na Jaaye are just a few of them. In 1976, she was cast in Amitabh Bachchan’s film ‘Do Anjaane,’ which was among the significant part of her career. She was then offered many challenging roles in various genres, which she accepted and proven her talent. Muqaddar Ka Sikandar was well-known and well-liked. She then continued to work her way up to the top.

Change in Her Looks

Initially, Rekha was overweight and lacked a strong command of Hindi. And for the same, she has faced much criticism. Even co-stars and her directors made fun of her. “How is this chubby, dark, and uncouth lady ever going to make it?” Shashi Kapoor had commented on Rekha at a picture screening.

Rekha became a gorgeous looking lady from the ugly looking and underweight girl after years of dedication, diet improvements, and several skin-lightening procedures. It is clearly seen to all how stunning she is, even at 67? Before her massive super film, Umrao Jaan, Rekha put forth a lot of effort to learn Hindi as well as she went through several training sessions to learn fluent Urdu. In a nutshell, we can say she did all she could do to keep herself apart from others.

Secret behind Her Evergreen Beauty

Rekha consumes about 10 to 12 glasses of water every day, attends Ayurvedic spas at home, and follows professional advice when it comes to nutrition. What if it’s revealed that Rekha is an expert in the field of makeup, doing the majority of her own work? She works out every day and likes meditation and yoga. She also keeps herself occupied by dancing, gardening, and other household tasks. She is well-known for her remarkable dance abilities and engaging personality. She eats her last meal of the day by 7.30 p.m. to give her body plenty of time to metabolize it.

Marriage

She’s rumored to have been in several affairs. She quickly rose to the top of the most talked-about celebrity. Rekha’s romance with Bollywood actors Jeetendra, Kiran Kumar, Vinod Mehra, and Amitabh Bachchan was well reported in news outlets. However, none of her past relationships worked out, and in 1990, she married Mukesh Aggarwal, a Delhi-based industrialist. But the following year, in 1991, he committed suicide.

Controversies

His life has had several peaks and troughs, and many controversies surrounded her. When she was fifteen years old, she was filming for the film Anjaana Safar, and something like objectionable was shot without her knowledge. After that, it became involved in several controversies, and the topic dragged on for a long period.

There are several debates over her vermilion, including who owns it since her husband is no longer alive. The media questioned in front of everyone in the marriage of film actors Rishi Kapoor and Neeta Kapoor, “For whose behalf is this vermilion?” and “does she undergo a private marriage following her husband’s death?”

Top Movies, She Worked In

Rekha gradually moved to the top of the list. She is presently regarded as one of the most beautiful and elegant actresses in Indian cinema. She appeared in almost 170 films over her career. Here, it is the top ten finest movies she worked in.

1. Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978)
2. Do Anjane (1976)
3. Ghar (1978)
4. Khubsoorat (1980)
5. Umrao Jaan (1981)
6. Silsila (1981)
7. Jeevan Dhara (1982)
8. Utsav (1984)
9. Ijaazat (1987)
10. Khoon Bhari Maang (1988)

Source of Income

Rekha’s net worth is 40 million dollars. She charges between 13 and 14 crores to approve a film. For an advertising product, she charges between 5 and 6 crores. Her additional source of income generates from Brand Advertising.

Awards and Achievement

Rekha 2021 Cars Collection

Political Career

Many politicians opposed her when she became a member of the Rajya Sabha since she was absent from the meeting. Rekha’s nomination was also proposed in the Rajya Sabha in April 2012 with Sachin Tendulkar, and she was appointed to the Food, Consumer Affairs, and Public Distribution Committee. She remains present in the Rajya Sabha only for 80 days out of 348 days.

Every now and then, we come across an actress like Rekha, who manages to look ageless! Rekha, a veteran in the Bollywood industry, is 67 years old, yet she looks like she has not aged a single day. So what is the secret behind her youthful looks?

The very first factor that contributes to Rekha’s youthful looks is her dedication and commitment to her fitness regime. She has been a fitness enthusiast since her early days and continues to work out regularly to stay fit and healthy. She is known to be a fan of yoga and has been practicing it for many years. Through a combination of yoga, Pilates and strength training, Rekha has managed to maintain her toned physique and her youthful glow.

Apart from her dedication to fitness, the other factor that contributes to Rekha’s youthful look is her skincare routine. She understands the importance of taking care of her skin and has been following a strict skincare regime since a very young age. She keeps her skin hydrated and nourished with natural ingredients, such as aloe vera and honey. She also takes regular facial massages and uses natural oils to keep her skin looking young and supple.

Rekha’s diet is also an important factor in maintaining her youthful look. She follows a balanced diet that consists of nutritious food like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. She also makes sure to stay hydrated and drinks plenty of water throughout the day.

Finally, Rekha has always taken her career very seriously and continues to be passionate about her work. She is an inspiration to many aspiring actresses and her commitment to her craft is evident from her performances.

To sum up, Rekha’s dedication to fitness, her skincare routine, her balanced diet, and her commitment to her career have all contributed to her youthful look at 67 years old.

Rekha with her soulful eyes and mesmerising smile will always be the enigmatic original Diva of Indian cinema. Despite not having done a movie in several years Rekha’s name evokes an image of an enchantress and a consummate actress. As she celebrates her 64 birthday today, we have put together some rare photographs and lesser known facts about the near-reclusive Rekha.

Rekha with her soulful eyes and mesmerising smile will always be the enigmatic original Diva of Indian cinema. Despite not having done a movie in several years Rekha’s name evokes an image of an enchantress and a consummate actress. As she celebrates her 64 birthday today, we have put together some rarre photographs and lesser known facts about the near-reclusive Rekha.

Any fan of Rekha knows that she was born Bhanurekha Ganesan, the illegitimate child of South Indian actor Gemini Gamesan and Telugu actress Pushpavalli. But did you know she has one sister, five half-sisters and a half-brother; all from the same father, Gemini Ganesan. Even though Rekha and her cousins have different mothers, the actor is very attached to them.

Rekha was not considered as a top heroine for quite some time. Her dark skin, plump figure and the loud clothing (worn in her films made her contemporaries scornful of her). It was not until Rekha starred with Amitabh Bachchan in Do Anjaane (1976) and played the role of a rape victim in Ghar (1978) that people started to take her seriously as an actor.

Since Rekha was a South Indian, when she first landed in Mumbai, she did not speak Hindi and struggled to communicate with co-workers. She constantly missed her mother, who was critically ill at the time. Talking about this phase Rekha has said, “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. I did feel, “What am I doing? I should be in school, having an ice-cream, fun with my friends, why am I even forced to work, deprived of normal things that a child should be doing at my age?”

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, jewelry 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.”

There was a point in Rekha’s early life when she even wanted to be a nun. That inclination came after she studied in a convent school with Irish nuns.

Can you imagine the gorgeous actress was once upon a time forced to work in B and C grade Telugu films, only because of her poor financial conditions?

She also happens to be the first ever actress in Hindi film industry who got herself enrolled in a gym at Hotel Ramee International and she started with swimming and basic exercises.

Here are some things about things about Rekha that might surprise you: 

The actress always dreamt of travelling the world and that’s why she wanted to become an airhostess, but unfortunately she was rejected due to her young age.

Rekha was obsessed with make-up, so much so that during her young days, she used to be make friends with airhostesses, who would bring her best of make-up brands from abroad….

Here is a young Rekha crowning Juhi Chawla as Miss India. 

The fact that Rekha has slowly become a reclusive and shut herself from most of the outside world is a well-known fact. But did you know that no one has access to her bedroom: Rekha has basically barred the whole world from entering her house. Even the few who do are limited to being entertained in her living room. 

The only person who has access to all parts of her house is her secretary Farzana, who’s been a constant companion for more than three decades now.

Rekha spends most of her time tending to her pets: Rekha always had little dogs as pets that she loved so dearly. Who can forget her dog Pisti? It was as famous as its mistress. She spends hours grooming her pets, which these days also includes a cat.

Her ‘me’ time: Rekha spends at least five hours a day attending to herself. It can be yoga, exercising or indulging in some home-made beauty therapy.

Tending to her plants: She spends at least two hours working in the small kitchen garden that she has prepared.

Meditation or is it Tai Chi? Rekha practices some kind of meditation. Some say it is Tai Chi, while others say that she is into holistic healing practices. Whatever it is, nobody is sure about this one.

Writing an autobiography: Her friends say that the news of Rekha writing her autobiography is true. She has been writing the book for several years now and is constantly editing her drafts. There are definitely some things that she doesn’t want to talk about. We hear that she’s dictating the book to Farzana.

Listening to music: Rekha spends her evenings listening to some music, surfing the net and sometimes watching TV. But that’s not an everyday affair. She loves Indian classical songs.

Brooding all alone: That is something that most friends actually admit. Rekha can sit by the window and stare at the sun for hours.

There were rumours around the time Ghar released that Vinod Mehra and Rekha had secretly married. According to reports from tabloids at the time – it was rumoured that on returning with husband actor Vinod Mehra to his house, Mehra’s mother was angry with Vinod for having married Rekha. When Rekha went to touch her mother-in-law’s feet, she, reportedly, pushed her away. She kept insulting and abusing Rekha and even, went as far as to assault the poor woman with her sandals. It took Vinod to settle issues between his mother and Rekha.

Another interesting report was during the time Rekha attended Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh’s wedding on January 22, 1980, wearing sindoor and a mangalsutra! The marriage took place at RK Studios and was attended by the who’s who of the film industry including Amitabh Bachchan along with his wife Jaya and parents. According to those present at the marriage that evening, Rekha made a ‘sensational entry’, wearing a spectacular white sari, with a red bindi on her forehead, and, well, red sindoor on her hair.

Another interesting report was during the time Rekha attended Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh’s wedding on January 22, 1980, wearing sindoor and a mangalsutra! The marriage took place at RK Studios and was attended by the who’s who of the film industry including Amitabh Bachchan along with his wife Jaya and parents. According to those present at the marriage that evening, Rekha made a ‘sensational entry’, wearing a spectacular white sari, with a red bindi on her forehead, and, well, red sindoor on her hair.

According to a Cine Blitz report on the events of that night, Rekha walked up to the centre of RK Studios’ garden and stood there. But her eyes kept wandering towards Amitabh Bachchan who was speaking to director Manmohan Desai. Soon, Rekha walked up to Amitabh and began talking. They were seen conversing formally, but according to a report in Stardust magazine, “Jaya tried to keep a stoic front for a long time, but eventually she had to bend her head and let the tears roll down.”

Besides the infamous alleged love affair with Amitabh Bachchan, the heroine was also linked with Sanjay Dutt who is 5 years younger to her. And if rumours are to be believed, Rekha once said that she became friends with Sanjay Dutt only to make Mr. Bachchan jealous. However, Dutt has gone on record to deny the rumours adding that Rekha was only helping him by giving him advice on how to sort out his complicated life. 

It has also been said that Rekha was the reason for differences between actor Kamal Hassan and his wife Vani Ganapati.

Within a month of knowing businessman Mukesh Agarwal, Rekha married him and settled down. However, Rekha did not known at the time of courtship or marriage that Agarwal suffered from chronic depression, which apparently, ran in his family. Agarwal was also, reportedly, involved with his psychiatrist ‘Akash Bajaj’.

Rekha simply could not handle the pressure of living the constantly troubled, suspicious, jealous and erratic Mukesh Agarwal and distanced herself from the man. Mukesh committed suicide, a mere seven months after his marriage to Rekha, and the press, the film fraternity and the nation’s people began blaming and slandering Rekha for her husband’s death. This period was one of the toughest times of Rekha’s life. But like always, she rose above it and reinvented herself anew.

But all these topics were touched upon by author Mohan Deep in his book Eurekha. As soon as the book hit the stands, Rekha strongly opposed to whatever was written in the book. She even visited book-stores personally asking them not to stock the book.

But what was surprising was that she never really challenged the authenticity of the book on a public forum or otherwise. So, while the contents of the book can be debated upon, most of the incidents mentioned in the book did take place in her life and have been engraved on the pages of old film magazines.

In Her 30s Rekha had imagined her life turning out to be something else… she dreamed of kids and said that it did not affect her that Amitabh Bachchan denied their affair in public… here are excerpts from that interview..

This was one of Rekha’s first ads. 

And here is part 2 of the explosive and honest interview that Rekha gave in 1984

Recently, Yasser Usman published a new biography called Rekha: The Untold Story, published by Juggernaut, the writer chronicles her life and days and some of the excerpts from the book reveal details that are, well, have to be read to be believed.

Forced Smooch on a 15-year-old Rekha

While shooting her first film Anjana Safar, in Mumbai’s Mehboob Studio, a 15-year-old Rekha had to endure, what would today be called as ‘molestation’, in the hands of the film’s director Raja Nawathe and its star Biswajeet Chatterjee. Right before the shoot, Raja and Biswajeet had it all planned, down to the  very last detail. The scene that was to be shot was a romantic scene. According to an excerpt, the moment Raja said ‘action’, Biswajeet grabbed Rekha and pressed his lips on her mouth. Anything about the kiss had not been mentioned to Rekha. While the camera  kept rolling and the entire crew kept whistling and cheering, the director did yell ‘cut’ for five minutes, as Biswajeet kept kissing an unsuspecting Rekha for full five minutes. Rekha had tightly closed her eyes but they were full of tears.

Her performances, whether it is Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Ghar (for the record, the film is her personal favourite and she described it as her major breakthrough in “serious acting”), Umrao Jaan or Ijaazat, reflect the pain, melancholy and the lived experiences (of rejections and heartbreaks) of a troubled life.

“Tum namkeen ho, aur namkeen cheezon ka swaad hamesha zyada yaad rehta hai,” Meena Kumari is once believed to have told Rekha. That statement bears witness to Rekha’s enduring fame and longevity.

Much like Amitabh, Rekha is the only star of her generation who has travelled well over the years and aged gracefully. The key difference between Rekha and her contemporaries is that while others wear their age on their sleeves Rekha looks practically ageless. Many see her as an evergreen beauty, nonpareil and in a league of her own. Among the younger lot, she commands a ‘touch the feet’ kind of reverence.

When asked about her transformation from the ‘ugly duckling’ to the reigning queen, she immediately responded by giving a very important advice to the young girls. “Appearance? Why only appearance? They can achieve just anything they want. If you want to be complete beautiful woman, the beauty has to be both ways, inside and out”. 

She also compared being fat to not appealing, which was perhaps, the outcome of the rejections she has had to face when she entered. “To be a complete beautiful woman, you’ve to be slim fit. Definitely not fat. Fat is ugly”. 

The actress also credited her hard work and will power for the glamorous transformation. 

Muzaffar was Rekha’s director in Umrao Jaan, perhaps the role Rekha will be best remembered for by generations to come. While making the film, Muzaffar Ali got a close look into Rekha’s life. He described her as ‘a very sensitive woman’. According to him, ‘She became a walking corpse. The fault is entirely Amitabh’s. He used to come and sit on our sets during the Delhi shooting of Umrao Jaan. That’s a fact. Whenever referring to Amitabh, she always spoke using inko, inhone, like women do who consider themselves married. I think she considered herself married.’

Unlike many of Rekha and Amitabh’s colleagues in the film industry, Muzaffar Ali was not cagey. He was direct and unequivocal: ‘She is and she was in love with him. He should have definitely given her an identity. Amitabh should have married her.’

In her 2004 interview with Simi Garewal, Rekha spoke about Amitabh Bachchan at length, admitting that she fell in love with him but insisting there was no affair.

“He was something I’d never seen before. I’ve never met anyone like him,” Rekha said on Rendezvous, “How can so many good qualities be bestowed on one person? I’m not a fool, I’m intelligent or so I’d like to believe. When I see a good thing, I can recognize it.”

Asked if she fell in love with Big B while making the 10 films they share, she said, “Absolutely. Duh, that’s a dumb question. I have yet to come across a single man, woman, child who can help but fall completely, passionately, insanely, desperately, hopelessly in love with him. So why should I be singled out? What do I deny? I’m not in love with him? Of course I am. Duniya bhar ka love aap le lijiyega and add some more – I feel that for that person. Bottomline.”

Amitabh Bachchan had been married for some years to Jaya Bhaduri when he and Rekha signed their first film together, 1976’s Do Anjaane. It didn’t matter that he was taken. “The fact that he was a married man doesn’t make any kind of a difference. A rose is a rose is a rose. A human being is interesting, period. I want to have the honour of being associated with this person so what is stopping me? I’m not here to ‘break’ his home so to speak. I’m here to be one of the lesser mortals who can just have a whiff of him and feel happy,” Rekha, now 63, said on Rendezvous.

She also claimed that he had “no clue” how she felt and that much ado was made about nothing. The reported affair didn’t happen. “You want to know the truth? This is headline, OK? There was never a personal connection with him, that’s the truth. Never ever. There was no truth to the controversies and speculation” she told Simi Garewal.

Nor was there a rift with Mrs Bachchan, whom she calls Didibhai (the Bengali word for elder sister), Rekha claimed then. “Not at all. Didibhai is much more mature, much more together. I’ve yet to come across a woman who is so together. She’s got so much dignity, so much class. She’s got a lot of strength. I admire that woman. We had an association before the so-called rumours and the media messed up the whole image. We were living in the same building and we had a relationship. She was my Didibhai, she still is – no matter what happens nobody can take that away. Thank God she realizes that too. Whenever we meet she’s very sweet – she’s not just civil, she’s just herself,” she said.

Since Silsila, Rekha and Amitabh Bachchan have met only at public award shows. “I see him lots at functions. He’s a very sweet human being and his memory is very sharp. That one Namaste says it all,” she said in the interview more than 10 years ago.

In a sensational interview published in Stardust in 1978 – ‘Rekha: Girl without a Conscience?’ – Rekha claimed, ‘Once I was looking at the whole [Bachchan] family through the projection room when they came to see the trial show of Muqaddar Ka Sikandar. Jaya was sitting in the front row and he and his parents were in the row behind her. They couldn’t see her as clearly as I could. And during our love scenes, I could see tears pouring down her face.’ It is believed that Jaya put a ban on Amitabh working with Rekha after Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, and word got around fast that Amitabh had been given an ultimatum by his wife. Discussing this, Rekha said, ‘A week later [after the trial show of Muqaddar Ka Sikandar], everybody in the industry was telling me that he has made it clear to his producers that he was not going to work with me. Everybody else informed me about it but he didn’t say a word on the subject. When I tried to question him about it, he said, “I am not going to say a word. Don’t ask me about it”.’

In the same interview, Rekha revealed another shocking detail: she claimed that Amitabh had gifted her two rings that she always wore. When Amitabh refused to work with her, she returned the rings and decided to part ways with him. In her own words, ‘Naturally I was upset and we broke off after that. I was working in Khoobsurat at that time and I put my heart and soul into my role. You will notice that in the last half of the film I am not wearing my two rings. They have been given to me by him and I never remove them even when I am sleeping. But during those days when we had parted, I sent them back to him.’

With Mukesh Aggarwal in good times. 

“Rekha is a rare gem,” says director Mahesh Bhatt. “If only I had a suitable script for her, I would cast her without any delay”. Yash Chopra, another leading producer director, had said sighs, “Such talent, Rekha should go on acting as long as she can.”

This controversial photoshoot with Kajol for the cover of the Stardust magazine had created a stir. 

Photographed here with former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, Rekha has been accused of not taking her duties as a parliamentarian seriously.

Both Tendulkar and Rekha have very poor attendance in the Rajya Sabha among the 12 nominated members, according to an analysis by Factly.in, a data journalism portal.

While Tendulkar has attended 23 of the 348 days since his nomination in 2012, Rekha has attended 18. Further, Rekha has not attended more than a single day in any session since her nomination in 2012.

While Rekha attended the least number of days compared to those who were nominated along with her, the expenditure incurred on her is the highest till date: Rs 65 lakh as salary and expenses.

The 63-year-old actress still appreciates good cinema and is not afraid to tell the actors what she thinks of them. She wrote a letter to Aamir Khan after watching Dangal hat moved him to tears.

Without much make-up Rekha still looks beautiful!

Sridevi and Rekha areclose friends, here at an award function from the 80s.

Vidya Balan who has been called the new Rekha is very fond of Rekha. The actress loves to dress in traditonal sarees like the beautiful Rekha. The fact that both actresses hail from South, that has created a strong bond between them.

this photogrpah was taken at the screening on Vidy’a recent movie ‘Begum Jaan’ where Rekha caught up with Vidya and Alia Bhatt. 

Ac ouple of years ago, a photo of Amitabh and Rekha went viral on the internet. The photograph shows Big B sitting in an aircraft posing with the pilot. In a seat behind him Rekha is visible. Real or morphed? Well, the photograph is real. A source close to Big B reveals, “Amitji was not aware of the other passengers on board. There were many Bollywood personalities travelling to Chennai for a celebration of 100 years of cinema. It is a sheer coincidence that they ended up on the same flight. If someone is trying to suggest a rendezvous here, it is ridiculous. Because if that were the case, they would ensure they weren’t on the same flight.” It may be recalled that the unpredictable diva had suddenly turned up at a suburban hotel during Big B’s 60th birthday bash, uninvited. She had stormed into the lobby and quickly ducked out without actually entering the venue. Hence Rekha’s presence on the same flight may or may not be a coincidence. But the fact is, they never came face-to-face before during or after the flight to Chennai.

This photo was taken last week at a party hosted by Manish Malhotra. Seen here are Rani Mukherjee, Vidya Balan, Tina Ambani and Sridevi along with Manish Malhotra and Rekha. 

At the success party of Dangal with Aamir Khan, Kiran Rao and rest of the cast. 

Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor, who has played romantic hero in almost 92 films, has a bit of bitterness in his heart for not making a successful film with his co-star Rekha. They had worked together in ‘Deedar-E-Yaar (1982)’, ‘Ram Tere Kitne Naam (1985)’, ‘Sheshnaag (1990)’, ‘Amiri Garibi (1990)’ and ‘Azaad Desh Ke Gulam (1990)’. However, the 70’s Superstar promises and wishes, if given a chance, to score big ones in character roles with both the actress before retiring.

Ranbir with Rekha at an awards function. Ranbir also said in an interview that he would love to be mysterious. “I would like to die a mystery. The media can go ahead and write anything. Personally, I believe in maintaining a certain level of respect for myself and those around me. So, I try to do that,” said Ranbir.

Having fun and twirling her braid at a recent award function. 

With Ranveer Singh at a recent award function.