Rekha's Biography: Early Struggles, Iconic Roles and Untold Secrets

Many actors and actresses have graced screens with exceptional acting. One major example is veteran actress Rekha, who turns 72 this year on 10th October.  With appearances in 200 films and many accolades, Rekha has had an illustrious career with a huge fanbase.

Having shared screen space with many actors, including Dharmendra, Jeetendra, Rajesh Khanna, Vinod Mehra, Amitabh Bachchan, and even the much younger Akshay Kumar, she made a good on-screen pair with every actor. With her birthday this Saturday, we present a Rekha Biography that unfolds her early struggles, iconic performances, and some untold secrets.

Rekha Biography: Early Life

Rekha’s Real Name

Born on 10 October 1954 as Bhanurekha, she grew up in a Tamil-speaking household. She is the daughter of the late Tamil actor Gemini Ganesan. Her mother, Pushpavalli, was also a famous Telugu actress. Rekha shares siblinghood with one brother. As of today, Rekha’s age is 71 years old.

Regarding her unstable childhood, her bond with her father, Gemini Ganesan, was rough. He never treated her well and even refused to recognise her as his own daughter. He rarely spent time with his children, and his actress wife, Pushpavalli, later married K. Prakash, who legally changed her name to K. Pushpavalli.

Because of her mother’s hectic acting schedule, Rekha spent most of her time with her grandmother. During an interview on the Simi Garewal show, Rekha revealed that he hardly acknowledged her existence. She also said that despite his absence, her mother, Pushpavalli, would still feel his presence throughout. After her mother died in 1991, things improved. In 2005, her father passed away.

Rekha’s Education

Rekha didn’t have a high level of education; she studied only through 9th grade. She attended Chennai’s Sacred Heart Convent School (Church Park) but left formal education at age 13 to pursue a full-time career in films. Another reason she left school was the financial problems and mounting debts her family faced.

Her mother, Pushpavalli, bore the responsibility of raising her children after being abandoned by her father, Ganeshan, with whom the actress had a strained relationship.

In such circumstances, Rekha had no choice but to work to support her family and fund her younger siblings’ education. If not an actress, she could have become a flight attendant as she once aspired to. But destiny led her to Indian cinema, and she stepped into the entertainment world.

Although she lacked formal higher education, it didn’t seriously affect Rekha’s life, as she proved her prowess through self-education and by mastering different languages. During her transition from South Indian cinema to Bollywood, Rekha struggled to speak Hindi.

But with her discipline and hard work, she trained herself in the language and improved her Urdu diction. This helped her deliver compelling performances in films like Umrao Jaan, for which she even received a National Award. She made critics awestruck with her linguistic command.

Rekha’s Personal Life

Unlike a happy married life, Rekha had a tragic personal life. She married multiple times, but none of her relationships worked out. She even faced humiliation for being called a witch or murderer because whoever she married had died. Rekha’s first marriage was with Mukesh Aggarwal, owner of the kitchenware brand Hotline. He suffered from mental illness and committed suicide on 2nd October 1990.

Rekha is also said to have had a relationship with actor Vinod Mehra, with whom she had shared screen space in the 1978 film Ghar. It featured the evergreen song, "Aap Ki Ankhon Mein Kuch," filmed on both actors. Based on a rumour, it was said she was married to him, but the marriage fell through due to objections from Mehra’s family.

There have been claims about her marriage to the actor who introduced her to his mother. It says that when she was about to touch his mother’s feet, his mother hurled abuses at her and even picked up a sandal to keep her away from entering the house. However, during a television interview with Simi Garewal, Rekha denied the marriage and referred to the actor as a well-wisher.

Rekha’s Top Movies

As we delve into Rekha Biography we will find that although Rekha didn’t have a happy marriage, it didn’t affect her career. She has acted in 200 films to date. In each film, she experimented with different roles: comedy, serious, or even action. She has a long list of best films that showcase her exceptional acting craft. Let's have a quick overview.

Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha Movies

Rekha's Biography is incomplete without mentioning Amitabh Bachchan, her co-star in films like Silsila, Muqaddar ka Sikandar, Namak Haraam, Do Anjaane, Alaap, and Khoon Pasina.

It is said that Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha grew close until Jaya Bhaduri intervened and married him. Even though it is impossible to expect the pairing of both actors today, still, viewers would love to see the on-screen jodi of Big B and Rekha if any film features both of them.

Pardesiya Yeh Sach Hai Piya from Mr Natwarlal, and songs from Silsila like Yeh Kahaan Aa Gaye Hum and Dekha Ek Khyaab are still among the most-loved songs on the charts.

Rekha – Biswajeet Kiss Controversy

When Rekha was new to the Hindi film industry, an unexpected incident occurred during the shoot of a film called Anjana Safar, later renamed Do Shikari. According to reports, actor Biswajeet kissed her without her knowledge and continued for 5 hours. The young Rekha felt cheated and on the verge of tears while the cast and crew cheered and whistled.

Many years later, when this incident again came into the limelight, it was said that actor Biswajeet accused the media of unnecessarily blowing the matter out of proportion. According to him, the kissing scene was a script requirement that had to be included, and it was done to improvise the scene.

Who is Farzana? How is She Related to Rekha

Besides Amitabh Bachchan, the one person which makes a special mention in Rekha Biography is her companion, Farzana. She is said to be her manager and long-time secretary, having worked with the actress since 1986. Farzana manages all her tasks, from taking phone calls to handling household access and monitoring day-to-day operations.

She shares a special bond with the actress and is said to be her trusted confidante and the only one allowed into Rekha's private bedroom. There have been talks about the lesbian affair between the two, but nothing can be said for sure. They share a deep friendship.

Rekha’s Net Worth

Given her flamboyant lifestyle, Rekha’s net worth is estimated at around Rs 332 crore. It lists her luxury possessions, including a Rs 100 crore bungalow and luxury cars such as a BMW i7, a Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and an Audi A8. The veteran actress also holds an extensive collection of traditional Kanjeevaram sarees and gold jewellery. She has also done endorsements that have added to her net worth.

Rekha’s Life Story

To discover Rekha's life story, Rekha: The Untold Story by Yasser Usman is a must-read. This book covers Rekha’s journey from childhood to career. In this book, you will learn about her physical and stylistic makeover and her success as a sex symbol in Hindi cinema. If you find this book at a nearby bookstore, purchase it and add it to your prime reading collection.

Conclusion

Rekha Biography uncovers her childhood struggles and tough journey to stardom. She braved odd situations and rose to become an iconic face of Indian cinema. She is an epitome of strong willpower and an idol for young women, inspiring confidence that nothing is impossible, no matter how hard life gets.