A woman who can’t be put into convenient boxes would always capture the imagination of millions. Rekha either figured this out at a very young age or found herself driven inexorably on to this path by life. Whatever the case, the actor not only carved out a phenomenally successful career, but also built an equally enigmatic personal image, breaking rules and crossing lakshmanrekhas every bit of the way.
But as she turns 64 on 10 October, we thought it would be a good time to look at only Rekha, the actor. Beyond the gossip columns, here is a hugely powerful actor who never shied away from complex or even slightly twisted characters. She played the conventional sexy-ladylove-cum-damsel-in-distress by the dozen alright, but also consistently picked up characters in palettes of grey, a zone into which not many of her contemporaries dared to go. And in the hands of competent directors, her eyes spoke a zillion words.
Don’t miss these eight films if you want to watch some of Rekha’s best performances.
Do Anjaane (1976)
The 1976 romantic thriller Do Anjaane, directed by Dulal Guha and co-starring Amitabh Bachchan and Prem Chopra, is high-pitched for sure, but showcases a leading lady who is more flesh-and-blood than what you usually get to see on the Hindi screen.
Rekha plays an unapologetically ambitious woman who, married off to a not well-to-do Amit (Bachchan), is determined to live a rich life and stops at literally nothing to get what she wants. She refuses to be reigned in by marriage and wait for it... even that hallowed sanctum of motherhood. I mean, how many leading ladies on our screens have said, “No, I don’t want to be a mother”?
Ghar (1978)
Ghar, directed by Manik Chatterjee and co-starring Vinod Mehra, was a brave role for Rekha to pick, dealing as it does with a married woman dealing with the trauma of rape. A sweet romance-turned-perfect marriage falls apart in the face of the incident despite everyone’s best efforts as Rekha’s Aarti swings from horror to suicidal depression. Watched today, the film would raise hackles over how the character reacts to the incident through the prism of physical purity. But I recommend you still watch it for Rekha’s heartfelt performance, a truly sensitive male character (Mehra) and of course, a clutch of unforgettable songs.
Khubsoorat (1980)
Ditch the Sonam Kapoor horror and stream this Hrishikesh Mukherjee gem if you haven’t watched it already. Her role as Manju Dayal won Rekha her first Filmfare Best Actress Award. Playing a spunky effervescent girl who enters the lives of her sister’s in-laws like a whirlwind that defies all set orders, the actor blows into this character a soul of her own in the evergreen rom com. Funny, smart, naughty and lovable, Manju is a girl you can’t help but love and gives an opportunity to Rekha to show off her impeccable comic timing. The film also stars Ashok Kumar, Dina Pathak and Rakesh Roshan, among others.
Umrao Jaan (1981)
If it’s just one role that Rekha is remembered for, it would be for Umrao Jaan. Playing a young woman who is forced by circumstances to turn into a much sought-after courtesan in Lucknow, Rekha’s Umrao is a study in beauty, grace, poetry, aching vulnerability and heartbreak in the Muzaffar Ali film. Beyond the shers, the beautiful numbers and dance recitals, the settings and the costumes, Umrao Jaan is a journey into the heart of a woman who loved a little more than the world deserved. And Rekha, who won a National Award for the performance, wrings her way into our hearts one glance at a time. Umrao Jaan also stars Shaukat Azmi, Farooq Shaikh, Naseeruddin Shah, and Raj Babbar.
Kalyug (1981)
1981 was clearly a bumper year for the actor. Kalyug showed Rekha in one of her most complex roles, even though she sort of shadows on the sidelines in this retelling of The Mahabharat in the Shyam Benegal film. In the clash between two industrial dynasties, Rekha’s Supriya stands for Draupadi, married to the eldest son (Raj Babbar), fond of the younger one (Anant Nag) and sheltering a tenuous past with their purported enemy (Shashi Kapoor). Rekha channels love, jealousy, pettiness, rage, helplessness and something that can only be described as deeply disturbing - the last scene between her and Anant Nag completely knocks you out - through this woman of few words with elan.
Silsila (1981)
A casting coup for Yash Chopra and a film that would forever and after capture the imaginations of generations who believe it to reflect the real lives of Silsila’s lead actors - Rekha, Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan. But if you forget that bit for a moment and look at just the film and the performances, it’s a beautiful, poetic and daring take on adultery. And Rekha plays Chandni, a woman so in love that the traditional boundaries of fidelity in marriage mean nothing to her. In Chopra’s hands, Rekha became poetry itself, with all its ebbs, flows and fissures.
Ijaazat (1987)
Another beautiful and mature take on adultery, Gulzar’s Ijaazat, also starring Naseeruddin Shah and Anuradha Patel, turned the tables with Rekha playing the stoical, sacrificing wife. The actor brought a dignity to her role minus the usual hysterics to make Sudha stand out as a strong and independent woman who is also capable of giving great love. A woman, who if you lost, would make you a thing of wonder to wiser men - don’t miss that expression of Shashi Kapoor’s in the last lap of the film.
Khoon Bhari Maang (1988)
The now cult Khoon Bhari Maang was a comeback of sorts to the commercial trajectory for Rekha and established her as a leading lady who, like her contemporary Sridevi, could shoulder a film without a so called “hero”. Add to that the premise of a revenge thriller with the actor playing a ruthless diva out to take revenge on her husband who tries to kill her in the most vicious way imaginable. Looking back, the costumes and make-up in the Rakesh Roshan film appear nothing sort of atrocious, but hell, Rekha’s Aarti/ Jyoti is kickass - a character we can emulate even today. And yes, she won another Filmfare for this one.
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