Born to a father like Gemini Ganeshan, she was into films even before she could complete her formal school education. The dark actress, with loads of fat, who could not converse properly in Hindi, gave up all her drawbacks to make it big in Bollywood. She had that confidence in her.
With her very film, Saawan Badon, the then 13-year-old Rekha became a household name. But her ugliness came on her way and she had no inhibitions in shedding all the unrequired things. She perfected her Hindi, burnt all the fat and came out a totally different individual. People could not recognise the new Rekha now. Another couple of films like Zameen Aasman and Nagin later, Rekha found the winning partner in films. She joined hands with Amitabh Bachchan and kept giving successful movies like Do Anjaane, Suhaag, Mudaqar Ka Sikander, Mr. Natwarlal, Khoon Pasina and Silsila. But it would be totally wrong to omit some of Rekha's contribution in films like Khoobsurat, Umrao Jaan, Ghar and Khoon Bhari Maang. These films are important because they fetched her awards. She even won the National award for her fine acting in Umrao Jaan.
Some of her other releases have been "Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi" (1997) and Basu Chatterjee's Aastha with Om Puri. In the former, she had a negative character but so strong is her screen presence, that she went away with the Filmfare Best Supporting actress award. All her films are worth watching which bring out different faces of this multi-faceted actress. She is a force, a power.
