Rekha's journey to becoming superstar wasn't easy, was rejected by her father, dragged into films at 13, kissed without consent

India.com

16 hours ago

Who doesn't know Rekha, one of the most beautiful and talented actresses of Bollywood? Rekha is a big name in the industry today, but her personal life remains a mystery. It is believed that as much fame as Rekha got from her film career, she got as much pain in her personal life. She did not reveal her family background until the mid-1970s. During her unstable childhood, her relationship with her father Ganesan was estranged as he rejected her. He was a big star, but never helped her and did not want to recognise her as his daughter. What challenges did Rekha face in her journey to stardom?
Rekha's life has always been surrounded by controversies. Today, Rekha is at a place where people dream of reaching. But to achieve this fame, Rekha also had to work hard. The struggle that Rekha went through to reach the heights is an example in itself.
Rekha started her career at the age of 13, not because she loved acting, she was pushed into the film industry so that she can earn. Rekha revealed in an old BBC interview that she was unwillingly pushed at the young age of 13 to act in the movies. Despite her initial reluctance and lack of interest in acting, circumstances led her to a life in front of the camera, a path her mother strongly desired for her. Rekha was exploited…
Apart from personal life, her professional life was also facing early hardships, including exploitation and a sense of isolation within the industry. During the shooting of her first film Anjana Safar (later released as Do Shikari), she faced a deeply uncomfortable experience. Biswajit, then 32, forcibly kissed his 15-year-old co-star Rekha and later laughed it off after being called out for it. Veteran producer Kuljit Pal revealed in an interview that qithout telling her first, he planted a kiss on Rekha's lips, and didn't let go for five minutes. The crew hooted and hollered as Rekha cried. He said, 'Rekha was there. She said that she has no reservations against a kissing scene. She said she would do it. I know she now says that she was taken by surprise when Biswajeet kissed her. I only told her that since she is doing something which Hindi film heroines don't, it will be better if she said she absolutely did not like it. But she knew about this scene in all cases'.
Rekha began her career in Tamil films before making her way to Bollywood. Here, she delivered powerful performances in films by Yash Chopra and other prominent directors, earning widespread fame. While Rekha was becoming a well-known face in Hindi cinema, in real life, she was still treated as an outsider.
Movies like Ghar, Muqaddar Ka Sikander, and Mr. Natwarlal followed, with Silsila and Khoon Bhari Maang gave her the status in the industry that she deserved.