From 'Ugly Duckling' to 'White Swan': Kabir Bedi traces Rekha's remarkable journey as she turns 70

Veteran actress Rekha cemented her status as a screen icon with her incredible performances in Umrao Jaan, Ghar, Khubsoorat, and Silsila among others. Her path to success in Bollywood was hit with significant obstacles despite her undeniable talent and charisma. The actress had to face criticism for her dark skin and features, because of which she was called the ‘ugly duckling’ of the industry. As she turned 70 today, veteran actor Kabir Bedi offered his outlook on her exceptional journey. 

Kabir, who worked with Rekha in the 1988 film Khoon Bhari Mang, recently recounted his working experiences with the actress. He recalled how she worked her way up with small films with hardwork and tenacity. He also offered insight into the challenges she faced in achieving star power. He said that she proved her mettle with her acting at the time when she was being dismissed as a ‘dark-skinned’ South Indian actress. 

“They used to dismiss her as a dark-skinned South Indian actress and then she became a white swan with her performances and her success. So she really proved her mettle in the industry with her acting. But beyond acting is a question of a certain persona that is just there in stars and she has that, “ Kabir told Indian Express. Further, he also commented on her aura saying that she has “a certain feel of a diva in an iconic sense.” 

Meanwhile, Rekha had earlier opened up about the criticisms she faced over dark skin. In an old interview, she had expressed how bad she felt when the Hindi film industry used to write her off in comparison to other leading actresses of her time. It was her determination and sheer merit that made her one of the iconic stars of Hindi cinema. On the work front, Rekha was last seen in a cameo role in Yamla Pagla Deewana: Phir Se(2018).