55 is just a number. To her millions of fans, she was a diva and continues to remain one. The iconic figure of Indian film industry, Rekha turns 55 on Today.
The way she climbed the ladder of success from being an ordinary looking actress to a sensational female of Bollywood is remarkable. According to film critic Omar Qureshi, “Rekha is a diva... In fact, the term diva (in India) was coined for Rekha. The way she has metamorphosed herself from what she was when she came into the industry is mind blowing.”
Men don’t forget to swear by her enduring, timeless beauty. The ‘Khubsoorat’ lady is not only known for her beauty but also for her fashion sense and glamorous image. She is enigmatic, believes filmmaker Muzaffar Ali who directed her in the poetic drama ‘Umrao Jaan’.
“She is a dreamer... she lives in her own world. She imagines a lot of things that suit her psyche as an actor. She is a very genuine, warm and a very sensitive person... And no denying the fact a very good learner. It has been an amazing experience to work with her; she is a perfect actress,” says Muzaffar Ali.
Over the years, Rekha has become a reclusive personality. She now loves to be with herself; you can catch a rare glimpse of her at the award functions where she walks in as a quintessential Indian beauty donning a gaudy banarasi saree with open, rumpled hair and down-to-earth persona, even as the onlookers gawk at her in awe, amazed by her charm.
“She is enigmatic... because she is hard to get. She only moves in a small circle of senior film people and she shuns the media. That’s also because she is a tragic figure with failed relationships... none of which succeeded, so she has withdrawn into herself,” says noted film historian Gautam Kaul.
With an unfathomable persona, Rekha is a legend. She has acted in more than 150 films and still continues to do rare projects. But she’s best remembered as the elegant ‘Umrao Jaan’, a role which many India actresses dream of repeating.
Showering praises on her, TV actress and item girl Rakhi Sawant feels that Rekha should have a wax statuette in Madam Tussaud’s museum. “For me, she is the perfect style icon,” says Rakhi.
As she adds another year to her life, we wish India’s Greta Garbo a very Happy Birthday.
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