Echoing excellence since 1969, Rekha has been shining bright in the Bollywood industry as the synonym of angelic beauty and marvelously versatile work. Even after doing more than 150 movies and ruling the industry for more than 50 years, the actress still manages to make her heart skip a beat. Whether it be the role of a selfless housewife or the role of a woman who is bold enough to slit someone’s throat, Rekha proved her mettle in every role she did. As an appreciation for the living legend, here we bring you a list of top 10 Bollywood movies that captures the versatility of Rekha.
1. Ghar: The movie captured Rekha and Vinod Mehra in lead, but Ghar was all and alone Rekha’s blockbuster. The movie portrays the struggle of a couple trying to cope with their life after Rekha got raped and helped Rekha bag the Filmfare award for best actress.
2. Muqaddar Ka Sikandar: The actress already spent 20 years in the industry, when Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, but the actress gave such a performance that it seemed like it is her debut movie. The actress robbed the heart of the audience by portraying the role of a selfless woman who is truly and madly in love with Sikandar played by Amitabh Bachchan.
3. Umrao Jaan: Muzaffar Ali’s classic periodic drama Umrao Jaan brought the best out of Rekha. Her Ada and dancing moves took the move to another level. Her performance fetched her the National Award. As with Khoobsurat, a remake starring Aishwarya Rai was dismissed as a pale shadow of the original.
4. Ijaazat: After a little break, Rekha came back to rule screen with her phenomenal performance in Gulzar’s Ijaazat. The movie captured her playing the role of a woman who mess up her marriage after her ex-lover enters her life again and leave her in middle to let her husband accept her back.
5. Khoon Bhari Maang: Rekha has always been for her boldness and outspoken personality. And the boldness of the actress came out on the screen with Khoon Bhari Maang. The actress was seen playing the role of Kabir Bedi's unsuspecting wife who is tricked and left for dead by him.
6. Utsav: Produced by Shashi Kapoor and helmed by Girish Karnad, brought Rekha’s work out in limelight. The way Rekha portrayed boldness and sensuality on the screen while playing the lead, left the audience gasping. Shekhar Suman owes her the credit for giving him such a boost so early in his career, though he failed to capitalize on the leg up.
7. Silsila: This movie is going to be recited over and over again for years. As after being paired once again on the screen as lovers, Rekha and Amitabh Bachchan became the talk of the town for their rumored love story. Rekha plays Mr. Bachchan's lover who has to make way for his wife played by Jaya Bachchan.
8. Mr. Natwarlal: The very next year she was seen once again opposite Amitabh Bachchan. The song Pardesia picturized on her became a smash hit and is still fondly remembered.
9. Aastha: Almost a decade later, we saw Rekha dismantle social conventions as a middle-class wife who turns to prostitution to fund her craving for luxuries. Her performance as a woman caught between indulgence and guilt was widely appreciated.
10. Khoobsurat: Directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Rekha was seen in a comic role. She played the role of Manju Dayal. Her comic timing and witty replies as a daughter-in-law were hilarious. The actors’ performances received appreciation from the viewer. The movie also starred Ashok Kumar, Rakesh Roshan, and Shashikala.
