Latest news with #AnjanaSafar
India.com
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Rekha's journey to becoming superstar wasn't easy, was rejected by her father, dragged into films at 13, kissed without consent
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.
India.com
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
This 32-year-old superstar forcibly kissed 15-year-old actress on set, left her crying and bleeding, laughed it off when told she was..., then..
Actors and actresses from the industry have faced some horrible incidents that made them question their dignity. Some of them stayed but many left at that moment. Here, we are about to discuss the same thing that happened to a veteran actress when she just started her film career. When Biswajit Chatterjee Forcibly Kissed 15-year-old Rekha on sets Yes, you read that the actress we are talking about is none other than Rekha who created an impeccable benchmark in the history of Indian Cinema. But, many of you may not know this but at the age of 15, she was forcibly kissed by her co-star which left her in a state of shock. In 1969, the actress signed Kuljit Pal's Do Shikaari (earlier named as Anjana Safar). In the film, she was paired with 60's Bengali Superstar Biswajit Chatterjee, whose age was 32 at that time while Rekha was 15 years old. In Rekha's published biography she mentioned the incident regarding how lead actor and director planned to shoot a kissing scene without her consent. In this particular scene Biswajit had to showcase his love for her co-star but soon the camera rolled, the actor went on a kissing spree and grabbed her by surprise which made her uncomfortable. However, the director did not cut the shot and continued, leaving Rekha devastated and shocked. After the scene ended, Rekha was left in tears, with her lips bleeding. During that period, this incident came to light and became one of the most sensational topics. Later, during an interview when Biswajit was asked about the tragic incident, he proudly defended it by saying that he only took the director's command for the scene and added that this particular scene was loved by audiences and that is why it felt justified to him. 'Do Shikaari's Fate At The Box Office After the kissing incident, the film went on a delaying spree as Rekha did not agree to return to the set. Somehow the makers managed to complete the film with both the actors and later it was released in 1979 which tanked badly at the box office. Following this incident, Rekha and Biswajit never worked together.
News18
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Rekha Felt 'Betrayed' After Co-Star Kissed Her Without Consent During Early Film Shoot
Last Updated: In a disturbing revelation from her early Bollywood days, veteran actor Rekha was reportedly kissed without consent by co-star Biswajeet during the filming of Anjana Safar. Before she became an icon of grace and resilience, Rekha's initial years in the Hindi film industry were marked by hardship and unsettling experiences. Starting her career as a teenager in the late 1960s, the young actress—born to South Indian cinema legend Gemini Ganesan—moved to Bombay to support her family during difficult times. Despite her lineage, she struggled to find a foothold in Hindi cinema and faced numerous challenges, including harassment on set. One such incident is recounted in Rekha: The Untold Story by Yasser Usman. The book reveals a disturbing episode from the filming of Anjana Safar (later retitled Do Shikari), which began production in 1969. According to the account, a scene was orchestrated by actor Biswajeet, director Kuljeet Pal, and cinematographer Raja Nawathe, where Biswajeet kissed Rekha on the lips without informing her beforehand. The camera rolled, and the act—meant to be spontaneous—left Rekha visibly stunned and violated. Biswajeet later admitted that Rekha was 'betrayed and furious," though he claimed the moment was essential to the film and not done for personal pleasure. 'It was not for my enjoyment, but important for the film," he said, as quoted in the book. Director Kuljeet Pal, however, offered a contradictory version, insisting Rekha had given her consent for the kiss. 'She said she had no reservations… I only told her it would be better if she later said she didn't like it, since such scenes weren't common for Hindi heroines," he claimed. The controversy aside, Do Shikari didn't release until 1979, a full decade after filming began. Meanwhile, Rekha made her official Hindi film debut with Sawan Bhadon in 1970 and soon climbed the ladder of stardom with hits like Ghar, Muqaddar Ka Sikander, Dharmatma, and Mr. Natwarlal, gradually rewriting her narrative on her own terms. Today, Rekha stands not just as a Bollywood legend, but also as a symbol of endurance and evolution—her early struggles forming the steel that defines her poise. First Published:
Indian Express
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Rekha was ‘furious' when a co-star kissed her on set without her consent, he claimed it was ‘important for the film': ‘She felt betrayed'
Veteran actor Rekha has been a part of the film industry since the 1960s, when she was still a teenager. One of the first Hindi films she signed was titled Anjana Safar; it was later renamed Do Shikari, in 1969. Rekha and her family was experiencing some financial difficulty when she was made to work in Bombay (then Mumbai), and even though she was the legendary Gemini Ganesan's daughter, this didn't help her secure work in Hindi films. But even when she managed to find work as a leading star, she was harassed on set. Yasser Usman's book Rekha: The Untold Story revisits Rekha's early days in the Hindi film industry. As per the book, actor Biswajeet, director Kuljeet Pal and cinematographer Raja Nawathe hatched a plan where Biswajeet would plant a kiss on Rekha's lips as soon as the camera started rolling, without her consent. When the camera rolled, Biswajeet did what was planned and left Rekha shocked. Biswajeet later acknowledged that Rekha felt 'betrayed and furious' when this happened, but he maintained that he wasn't at fault. He was quoted in the book saying, 'It was not for my enjoyment, but important for the film. Rekha felt betrayed and was furious.' However, Kuljeet Pal had another story to tell as he insisted that Rekha was aware of the kissing scene and had consented to it. 'Rekha was there. She said that she has no reservations against a kissing scene. 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.' ALSO READ | When Rekha recalled her complicated relationship with father Gemini Ganesan: 'Didn't know what the word father meant, he didn't notice me' Although the filming of Do Shikari started in 1969, the film did not release until 1979. Rekha made her Hindi film debut with Sawan Bhadon in 1970. She was then seen in popular films like Dharmatma, Ghar, Muqaddar Ka Sikander, Mr Natwarlal across the decade.
