Rekha has always been one of Bollywood’s most stunning enigmas. Burning the screen with her quiet intensity, Rekha has also been forthright in her interviews. Constantly challenging the unofficial ‘diktats’ of Bollywood, the evergreen star has emerged as one of Bollywood’s foremost non-conformists. And she exhibits her individuality perfectly in this vintage interview with celebrity host, Simi Garewal.
The show is called It’s A Woman’s World and it aired on Doordarshan in 1985. Discussing the evolving roles of Bollywood actresses and how women are viewed in everyday life, the Silsila actor weighed in on everything with a never-before-seen candour. Rekha concedes that the thought of giving up her career for love, has never crossed her mind. Rekha also touched upon how women are the strongest beings on the planet, and any man (worth their salt) already knows this.
Rumours and gossip around Rekha and Amitabh Bachchan’s torrid affair has fed the grapevine for many generations. Rekha even went and participated in more interviews with Garewal in the future, but none of them were as candid and unchecked as this one. She even speaks about how ‘luck’ might be one of the single greatest factors for her success. She says something along the lines of ‘when you’re lucky all the wrong decisions begin to look like the right choices’.
In this 1985 interview, she doesn’t mince her words about the discipline that goes into looking like the diva that she does. She even makes an offhand remark about how ‘fat is ugly’ – a comment that might not have aged well in 2019.
You can watch the entire interview here:
