[Watch] Rekha’s Transformation From An ‘Ugly Duckling’ To A ‘White Swan’

Bhubaneswar: Bollywood diva Rekha is more charismatic than any of the Gen X heroines, and she proved it recently at the IIFA awards 2024.

The ‘Umrao Jaan’ actor who celebrates her 70^th birthday today, left the Dubai audience gasping for breath, with her electrifying dance moves on classic numbers for 20 minutes straight, without taking any break.

Watch Rekha’s performance here:

Rekha’s journey in the film industry was never a cakewalk. The actress was not only mocked for her dark complexion and Hindi accent but was also discouraged at different stages of her career because of her controversial personal and professional life.

Nonetheless, her hard work and strong determination helped her transform into a white swam from an ugly duckling, and rule the hearts of millions to date.

Recounting his experience of sharing screen space with the diva, veteran actor and Rekha’s co-star Kabir Bedi said “I did one of my most iconic films Khoon Bhari Maang with Rekha and she was the star of the film. Thinking about Rekha, she is not only a brilliant actress, but she has also got a quality that many actors don’t, she has an aura. She has a certain feel of a diva in an iconic sense, and she carries that aura with her.”

Rekha, whose original name is Bhanurekha Ganesan, stepped into the industry in 1966 at the age of 13 with a Telugu film ‘Rangula Ratnam.’

In an old interview, Rekha shared about the challenges and criticism she faced in the industry.

“I was called the ‘Ugly Duckling’ of Hindi films because of my dark complexion and South Indian features. I used to feel deeply hurt when people compared me with the leading heroines of the time and said I was no match for them. I was determined to make it big on sheer merit,” revealed the actress.

Having done films in various languages including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Bengali, today, Rekha is one of the most respected and successful actresses in the industry.

She is also looked up to for her unique fashion sense comprising of beautiful Kanjivaram sarees and Gajras.

In 2003, Rekha was awarded the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to Indian cinema.

In 2010, the actress was honoured with India’s 4th highest civilian honour, Padma Shri.

In 1982, she won her first National Film Award for Best Actress for her role in ‘Umrao Jaan’.