Synopsis
The 75th Episode of SCREEN LEGENDS has to be special and it is dedicated to none other than Rekha. Rekha, the name itself evokes images of an enigmatic, seductive and iconic Bollywood personality. Bhanurekha was born to Tamil superstar Gemini Ganeshan and actress Pushpavalli. After making her debut as a child artiste, financial difficulties forced her to make her debut in a Kannada film at the tender age of 13. After shifting to Bombay to do Hindi films, she signed ‘Anjana Safar’ but the film ran into censor trouble because of a kissing scene. The super duper hit ‘Sawan Bhadon’ opposite a debonair Navin Nischol became her first Hindi release. The guests at the premiere of the film including Shashi Kapoor were surprised to see a dusky, fat and unconventional Hindi film heroine. With nobody to guide her, a vulnerable Rekha remained in the news because of her bold interviews and gossip columns. But she was lucky in terms of box-office hits. Her first performance-oriented role came in ‘Do Anjaane’, the film that set the ball rolling for her hit pairing with Amitabh Bachchan. With ‘Ghar’ and ‘Muqaddar Ka Sikander’, she silenced even the severest of her critics. Her hit parade with Amitabh continued with ‘Mr. Natwarlal’, ‘Suhaag’, ‘Ram Balram’ etc. Working with a disciplined and dedicated artiste like Amitabh did wonders for Rekha. She not only began to focus on her career but also mastered the art of make-up and improved her dressing sense. She lost a lot of weight with the help of Yoga, a nutritious diet and a disciplined life. And soon, the same Rekha who was ridiculed as an ‘Ugly Duckling’ in the early 1970s turned into a ‘Beautiful Swan’ by the end of 1970s. And her transformation is one of Hindi Cinema’s most dramatic transformations. Screen Legends Rekha Part 1 is simply unmissable.
Starring
Rekha
Directed By
Jai Shah
Content Advisory
Narrative
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