Rekha - The Ultimate Influencer

Rekha is arguably Indian cinema’s most mysterious diva. Every time she steps out for one of her rare appearances, she’s a headline away from creating a trend.

And after the re-release of Umrao Jaan, social media has been flooded with content on Rekha and how to recreate her iconic looks. Her appearance at Shabana Azmi’s birthday, dancing in an outfit that only she has the audacity to pull off, makes it clear that the legend of Rekha is timeless.

A few days before she turns 71 on October 10, we look at how Rekha the cultural icon is always relevant.

Rekhanomics- Mystique sells
Rekhanomics is the art of turning mystery into currency, where timeless glamour, unapologetic individuality, and a little enigma compound into lasting cultural capital.

5 reasons for the Rekha trend
1. BEAUTY - There’s a return to the classic beauty globally with deep browns and maroons trending, especially with the return of glosses and strong brows. The Rekha look is on point.

2. FASHION - It’s the season of maximalism and no one does it better than Rekha — saris, jewellery, gajras, brocades.

3. HANDLOOM - Rekha was championing ‘vocal for local’ before it became a catchphrase. Her handwoven kanjeevarams and lush silks are all artisanal and handmade.

4. SINGLEHOOD - She’s the ‘my life, my rules’ kind of woman who has time and again said that she’s “married to herself” and lives accordingly.

5. PRO-AGE - Turning 71 this October 10, Rekha told Asia Spa in 2011: “Age as a number does not feature in my thoughts. Good genes help and good thoughts help more. You become what you believe.”

The look - Timeless and classic
The Rekha makeup is having a moment, with everyone trying to create their version of it.

"She’s iconic. She’s timeless. Her look has stayed the same — from the time she started and it’s the same today. She has always been very sultry with her looks — the heavy kajal, smudgy lashline and waterline, heavy mascara with earthy coloured eyeshadows. Her eyes were always the focus with very strong brows. She’s one of the rare ones who can carry a strong lip with a strong eye. Ultimately, the quintessential Rekha look is about knowing who you are, what looks good and what you can carry off. It’s about confidence." — NAMRATA SONI, celebrity makeup artist and hair stylist.

“The more mysterious you are, the more interesting you will be. Rekha has mastered that. Her film legacy is not as strong as Nargis or Meena Kumari — she probably has three or four great films, but it’s her mystique that makes her alluring. Stars should be mysterious. It is impossible to write a book about a film star now — we know too much. But Rekha has managed to keep the mystery alive — her public appearances are rare, she is still single, she doesn’t age. People notice that. If I have to think of a Hollywood equivalent, it would be Greta Garbo who was famously mysterious.” NASREEN MUNNI KABIR, author and filmmaker.


What Rekha Means to Me
“Rekha is an intelligent woman. She is a marketing genius who recognised the power of what I call the ‘Garbo Complex’. For decades she remained almost invisible, creating an aura around a persona. This is a master strategy. Hats off! She stayed a shadowy, ghost-like figure, rarely spotted in public. It worked for her. The Rekha mystique is no accident. It’s a brilliant construct. Combine that with her allusions to a lifelong affair with Amitabh Bachchan — genius. The sindoor, mangalsutra, bridal attire. She has always scripted her own narrative. Post Umrao Jaan’s rebirth, she has upped her game and added value to her unique branding.” — Shobhaa De, author.

“As someone who knew Rekha from the ’70s, she was always a trendsetter — an influencer for her generation of actresses. She would make trips to London to buy her makeup and people followed suit. There was a time when she defined fashion in cinema — from her bindis to her saris to how she braided her hair. She faded off screen, but despite her disappearance, she kept herself alive. When she went for weddings, premieres or award functions, she was the talk of the town. But as a follower, I miss the actress on the screen. Style is okay, but where is the performer?” — Bhawana Somaaya, critic and author.

“Rekha is a vestige of the time when glamour was godly and presence was everything. She has no business being relatable. She is an unattainable standard. She is her own craft, her own mechanism — from the kohl-lined eyes, to the fake mole on her upper lip. What started out as a way to survive is now instinctual, natural. Of all her performances, the role of Rekha is her magnum opus. Rekha has been scrutinised, studied and decoded since the earliest days of her career. She never gave ‘content’; content was made from her. Rekha has always left people wanting more. She has never given herself fully to be consumed. No reality TV, no seat on the judging panel, and no ‘what’s in my silk potli’. But we all want more, don’t we? Who can blame us?” — Diet Sabya, fashion commentator.

“As a writer fascinated by cinema history, what struck me was her grit. It was a classic underdog story. At 14, she entered Bollywood barely knowing Hindi. She didn’t fit the mould of a typical Bollywood heroine. Yet, 15 years later, she won the National Award for Umrao Jaan, speaking flawless Urdu. Rekha’s sexual openness was revolutionary, shocking even by today’s standards. Imagine a big female star today saying what Rekha did four decades ago: ‘You can’t come close, really close, to a man without making love.’ Or, ‘It’s sheer fluke that I have never got pregnant so far.’ In an industry steeped in sexism, these bold interviews rattled everyone. Where did this mysterious and inaccessible image of Rekha come from? I realised it was in 1990, after the tragic suicide of her husband Mukesh Agrawal. The media baselessly blamed Rekha for it. Rekha, understandably, withdrew deep into a shell. Decoding Rekha’s magic isn’t easy. There’s really no parallel in Hindi cinema. But I think her personal life, especially her connection with Amitabh Bachchan, which she spoke openly about in interviews and still hints at, adds to her mystique. In fact, Silsila gave visual form to that intrigue.” — Yasser Usman, writer, Rekha: The Untold Story.

“Every artiste has an appeal. Unless they get a job, task or role where they can bring that appeal to the people as a story, it doesn’t attract attention. Umrao Jaan was that role for Rekha. There are lots of artistes better looking than her, but this was the right role and the right intensity for her. She channelled her ups and downs, her vulnerability, to make it a cut above the rest. Every 10–20 years, new people discover it and identify with something in the character. When I was planning the film, I had the role, the whole culture in mind, and the character’s angst, sadness, courage and poise in mind. Then I saw a picture of Rekha in a magazine and felt in an instant that she could do it. It was gut instinct. And she brought more to the table than she would usually. That’s why it’s a film you reflect upon and it stays with you.” — Muzaffar Ali, director, Umrao Jaan.