Ageless beauty Rekha celebrates her 58th birthday today

New Delhi: Enigmatic Bollywood actress Rekha turns one year older as she celebrates her 58th birthday today. Metamorphosed into a diva from an ugly duckling Rekha carved her niche in the film industry by her own terms. With an unfathomable persona, Rekha is a legend. She has worked in over 180 films in her career spanning 40 years. Throughout her career, she has often played strong female characters. Apart from mainstream cinema, she appeared in arthouse films, known as parallel cinema in India.

VARIOUS COLOURS OF REKHA IN PICS

Noted film historian Gautam Kaul said, “Rekha is enigmatic... because she is hard to get. She moves only in a small circle of senior film people and she shuns the media. That's also because she is a tragic figure with failed relationships... none of which succeeded, so she has withdrawn into herself.”

Showering praise on her timeless charm, TV actress Rakhi Sawant feels that Rekha should have a wax statuette in Madam Tussaud’s museum. “For me, she is the perfect style icon,” says Rakhi.

WISH REKHA ON HER 58th BIRTHDAY (click here)

Daughter of southern star Gemini Ganesan, Rekha grabbed overnight success with her debut vehicle "Sawan Bhadon" (1970) and gradually became India's sex symbol. What catapulted her to the Bollywood zenith was Muzaffar Ali's period drama "Umrao Jaan" (1981) that even won her a National Award.

Rekha’s enigmatic charisma not only spelled magic in Bollywood but also her magnificent personality helps her to enter the Upper House in the Parliament as she has been nominated as a Rajya Sabha member.

Rekha is also known for her lifestyle and glossy image. On her charismatic personality, renowned film critic Omar Qureshi said, "Rekha is a diva... In fact, the term diva (in India) was coined for Rekha. The way she has metamorphosed herself from what she was when she came into the industry is mind blowing... She has worked on her language, body, diction, everything and apart from that she's a fantastic actress."

According to media grapevine, the evergreen yesteryear on-screen couple Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha might end up celebrating their birthday on 

the same day – i.e. on October 10. Sources confirm that the October 10 event is going to be a grand affair. A red carpet would be rolled out at Anil Ambani’s suburban studio in Mumbai, where the event is being organised and which will be attended by the who’s who of the tinsel town. One hears from close sources that Karan Johar will be hosting a segment.

As she added another year to her life, Jagran Post team wishes Bollywood’s Greta Garbo a very happy birthday.