Rekha (born 10 October 1954) is an Indian actress who has worked mainly in Hindi films since 1970. Born to Tamil film stars, she entered Hindi cinema as a teenager and went on to become one of its most admired leading ladies. She won the National Film Award for Best Actress for Umrao Jaan (1981) and three Filmfare Awards, and she served as a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha from 2012 to 2018. She is known for her elegance, her Kanjeevaram saris and for keeping her private life out of the public eye.
Quick Facts
| Birth name | Bhanurekha Ganesan |
| Born | 10 October 1954, Madras (now Chennai), India |
| Age | 72 |
| Parents | Gemini Ganesan, Pushpavalli |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1966–present |
| Spouse | Mukesh Agarwal (m. 1990; d. 1990) |
| Honours | Padma Shri (2010) |
| Known for | Ghar, Khoobsurat, Umrao Jaan, Silsila, Khoon Bhari Maang |
Early Life
Rekha was born in Madras to the Tamil actor Gemini Ganesan and the Telugu actress Pushpavalli, who were not married to each other. Her father did not publicly acknowledge her during her childhood, and her mother faced money problems. Rekha appeared as a child in the Telugu film Rangula Ratnam (1966) and left school as a young teenager to work in films and support her family.
Career
Her first lead role was in the Kannada film Operation Jackpot Nalli C.I.D. 999 (1969), and her Hindi debut, Sawan Bhadon (1970), was a hit. In her early years in Bombay she struggled with Hindi and was criticised for her looks, but she worked hard on her language, dancing and appearance and became a regular leading lady.
Rekha’s performance in Ghar (1978) was a turning point, and the same year she starred in Muqaddar Ka Sikandar with Amitabh Bachchan, one of her many popular films with him. She won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress for Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s comedy Khoobsurat (1980). Her role as a 19th-century Lucknow courtesan in Muzaffar Ali’s Umrao Jaan (1981) won her the National Film Award for Best Actress. She also appeared in Yash Chopra‘s Silsila (1981), the art films Kalyug (1981), Utsav (1984) and Ijaazat (1987), and the revenge drama Khoon Bhari Maang (1988), which won her a second Filmfare Best Actress award.
In the 1990s Rekha took on more varied roles and won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996). She played Hrithik Roshan‘s mother in Koi… Mil Gaya (2003) and Krrish (2006). In recent years she has acted only rarely, but she remains a regular presence at award shows and film festivals.
Rajya Sabha
In 2012 Rekha was nominated to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Parliament, by the President of India. Her term ran until 2018. She was criticised for her low attendance in the House.
Personal Life
Rekha married the Delhi businessman Mukesh Agarwal in March 1990. He died later the same year. She has not remarried and lives in Mumbai. Her life and career have been the subject of several books, including Yasser Usman’s Rekha: The Untold Story (2016).
Awards and Honours
Selected Filmography
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Rekha born?
Rekha was born on 10 October 1954 in Madras (now Chennai), India and is 72 years old.
What is Rekha known for?
Known for: Ghar, Khoobsurat, Umrao Jaan, Silsila, Khoon Bhari Maang.
What honours has Rekha received?
Padma Shri (2010).
Featured image: Rekha with director Muzaffar Ali, who made Umrao Jaan, at the Red Sea International Film Festival, Jeddah, 7 December 2025. Photo by Zafer, licensed under CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
