Exquisite Rekha in Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (मुकद्दर का सिकन्दर): 1978

 Exquisite Rekha in Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (मुकद्दर का सिकन्दर)

The year of the Baap - Bete: Bollywood Nepotism since the early years

 

The exquisite costumes, jewellery and looks of the classic Umrao Jaan

 

The exquisite costumes, jewellery and looks of the classic Umrao Jaan 

Hair apparent: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Hair apparent: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan 

 

Rekha

 Iconic Indian beauty; Rekha 

Rekha in Basera (1981)

Rekha in Basera (1981)

In the memorable melodrama, at age 27, she was playing mother (well, step-mother) to actor Raj Kiran - who was in fact six years older than her! 

1981 was a hallmark year for Re'; 'twas the year of a whopping 14 film releases including critical acclaim (Umrao Jaan, Kalyug, Silsila) and box office hits. 

How the industry has changed; actors appeared in a dozen films a year, now superstars appear in a film every five to six years. 

 

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan for L'Oreal: Indian supermodel, actress, icon

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan for L'Oreal: Indian supermodel, actress, icon 

Divya Bharti

Divya Bharti

Mamta Kulkarni: The Queen of Daft Quotes takes potshots at Rekha and Sridevi!

Young and dumb, when Mamta Kulkarni first appeared in Bollywood, the poorly educated daft non-actress gave so many quotable quotes that magazines lapped it up and published them verbatim. Her scandalous interviews, images and wardrobe sold tabloids like cheap hotcakes. There are too many stupid things she said back then - more so now (google and see her latest interviews) that we can't list them all here. She famously dropped her top to get to the top (that notorious Stardust cover and the infamy that followed) but with limited to non-existent acting talents, she didn't last long in the film industry. You can dance around with little to no clothes, but in the long run, if you don't have talent to back it up, you just can't last in the industry. Luck favoured her a little, then left her hanging. And now she's a wanted woman by the long arm of the law. The funny thing about karma, it serves slowly, albeit inevitably. Why does Mamta feature here? Well, one of the manyyyyyyyyyy idiotic things she said to the press stands out loud and clear in our mind. 

Kulkarni had the gall and nerve to say in print and in video, "Rekha and Sridevi are cosmetic beauties, not a natural beauty like me." 

She's also said nasty things about Madhuri Dixit, Salman Khan, Shahrukh and others too. 

When we first read the quote, the first thought that came up was, "Was she high?! On crack?! Why suddenly take potshots at icons in the industry when they had never met or interacted with the little chit?  

With her increasingly bizarre posts on social media, clearly, the poor girl needs help. Sad. 

While the ones she took aim at will be remembered for their work, talent and career, Kulkarni for only her scandals, poor choices (in film and in life) and she'll end up a has-been, who never was... 

Rekha: Filmfare cover: Sept 1979

 Rekha: Filmfare cover: Sept 1979

Rekha in Khoon Bhari Maang: Zenith of Bollywood's OTT costume, makeup, 80s fashion

Rekha in Khoon Bhari Maang: Zenith of Bollywood's OTT costume, makeup, 80s fashion 

Released in the summer of 1988, the film is pure camp fun. Rekha delivers. And how. 

Rekha: If ever there was an Indian version of Dynasty...

 A very Joan Collins in Dynasty inspired look for Rekha. 

If ever there was a desi-fied version by Ekta Kapoor, who else but Re'?! 

Rekha by Rakesh Shreshta for MOVIE magazine

Rekha by Rakesh Shreshta for MOVIE magazine. 

Shot for a special edition celebrating 25 years of Rekha in the film industry. 

Rekha in and as Jhoothi (1985)

Rekha in and as Jhoothi (1985)
 

Rekha in Jaal (1986)

 Rekha in Jaal (1986)

 Rekha is absolutely stunning in this revenge drama thriller. 

Hey, You're NOT Sridevi: Bhanupriya

 Hey, You're NOT Sridevi: Bhanupriya 

Silsila: Rekha, Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan

 Silsila: Rekha, Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan

 Adultery never looked this good... 

 or as poetic... 

 Rekha's epic, chiseled, perfected beauty. From the husk in her voice, her faultless wardrobe, her perfect persona on screen... she was beyond fabulous. 

Aishwarya Rai in PS-1: Ponniyin Selvan: I (2022)

 Aishwarya Rai in PS-1: Ponniyin Selvan: I (2022)

 My favourite line from one of the many reviews I read was, Mani Ratnam cleverly weaponised Aishwarya's epic beauty to further the tale. 

Yes. 

Yes he did. 

Ash has near universal praise for her performance after a long spell of rather lacklustre movies and performances... 

Jaya Prada in Sharaabi (1984)

 Jaya Prada in Sharaabi (1984)

The definitive mujra listicle featuring its greatest exponent; Rekha

 

A heady cocktail of dance, poetry, sensuality, Eastern glamour, dazzling jewellery, sparkle, suggestive eroticism, pathos, Rekha brought her vast gifts as an actress and dancer into her mujras. 

The 'prostitute with a heart of gold' trope is not uncommon to Bollywood (or Hollywood!). In Indian screens, it is mostly de-sexualised a lot through the majesty of the poetic lyricism of Pakeeza and Umrao Jaan; the two definitive tentpole tales of the sensuous courtesan.  While Meena Kumari brought an ache, a lonely sense of inevitable tragedy to it, Rekha brought sensuality, extreme (some might say excessive) glamour, glitz to it. A harsh critic might say with each passing year and film, she went from gold threads and zari to polyester and chintz in diminishing returns, in a sliding scale of great to god-awful films.  

There have been years and years where Rekha vacillated from one kotha set to another, one over the top glittering ensemble (often designed by herself - with the aid of a few darzis and designers). If the pinnacle was Umrao Jaan (and to a certain extent Muqaddar ka Sikandar), then the nadir was... well, pick any from the late 1980s. Fortunately, her final mujra song and dance scene was in the critically appreciated Yatra (2006). And for a "full circle moment", the song was sung by Aasha Bhosle, the music was composed by Khayyam - as it was penned 25 years ago in Umrao Jaan (1981).  

And this from a fan of Rekha and her oceanic skills as an actress of note. Just for the buzz-fidication of it, thought I'd work on a (always-in-construction) definitive listicle of Rekha and her mujras on film. 

1. Dildaar, 13 April 1977
2. Kasme Waade, 21 April 1978 (Rekha has a guest appearance in a Mujra song). 
3. Muqaddar ka Sikandar, 27 October 1978
4. Suhaag, 30 October 1979
5. Maang Bharo Sajana, 7 November 1980
6. Umrao Jaan, 2 January 1981
7. Daasi, 26 June 1981
8. Maati Maangey Khoon, April 6, 1984
9. Jaal, 14 February 1986
10. Pyar Ki Jeet, 6 February 1987
11. Kasam Suhaag Ki, 27 January 1989
12. Amiri Garibi, 23 March 1990
13. Nishana, 17 February 1995
14. Yatra, 4 May 2007