Key Points:
Rekha grew up without her father, actor Gemini Ganesan which shaped her lifelong yearning for emotional security and love.
Her short-lived marriage to Mukesh Aggarwal placed her personal life under intense public scrutiny.
She was labelled a “witch” and a “national vamp” when her husband died by suicide following depression.
Bollywood actor Rekha is nothing less than a legend, with over 180 films to her credit. She has always been a staple emblem of elegance and has been termed iconic for her timeless fashion style, which often felt like art itself.
However, behind the glossy makeup and sarees, Rekha’s life was a storm filled with chaos and emotional rollercoasters. From her complicated relationship with her father to her short-lived marriage with Delhi based businessman Mukesh Aggarwal, Rekha’s personal turmoil sometimes overpowered her calm and composed public persona.
It all began when Rekha was Bhanurekha Ganesan, a lesser-known chapter of her life.
Bhanurekha became a household name in the 1980s, with fans referring to their beloved star by her stage name, Rekha. However, love soon turned into hostility when her personal losses became headlines, with some even labelling her a “witch” and blaming her for her husband’s death.
Rekha was born to superstar Gemini Ganesan, who never acknowledged her as his daughter. Ganesan was among the top three greatest actors of Tamil cinema and had multiple partners, including actress Pushpavalli, Rekha’s mother whom he never married.
Despite Ganesan abandoning Rekha when she was an infant, she dismissed the idea that her home was ever dysfunctional. In an old interview with Simi Garewal, Rekha described her childhood in one word—“wonderful.” When asked about her parents, she explained that their relationship was romantic but complicated.
The Silsila actress’ yearning for love unfolded through multiple chapters, the most painful and widely discussed being her relationship with legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan. Her unwavering affection for the actor earned her the label of the “devoted other woman,” as Bachchan was married to Jaya Bachchan at the time.
Rekha had solidified the truth that she never intended to enter the film industry. Coming from two really influential families of artists, she never wanted to be an actor.
She shared her story in an interview on Rendezvous with Simi Garewal, where she stated that it was her financial condition and tough circumstances that made her begin her film journey. Her mother forced her to join the film industry, and “mujhe toh maar maar kar banaya gaya hai (I was beaten up to become one),” said Rekha in a 1986 BBC interview.
In another interview, she shared her childhood dream of becoming a wife and being loved. “All I wanted was to get married, to be loved, and to spend the rest of my life with someone who truly cared for me and to have lots of children,” said Rekha.
In 1990, Rekha married businessman Mukesh Aggarwal, whom she described as a “stranger.” She learned about Aggarwal’s long-standing battle with depression only after the couple got married. After just seven months of marriage, Aggarwal died by suicide.
He allegedly left behind a suicide note in which he wrote, “Don’t blame anyone.” After his death, Rekha’s world came crashing down as many people and sections of the media blamed the actor for her husband’s untimely death. The people who once loved her turned against her, labelling her a “national vamp” and a “witch” for Aggarwal’s suicide.
Years later, in an interview with Simi Garewal, Rekha spoke about her short-lived marriage with Mukesh Aggarwal. Garewal asked whether it was an arranged marriage, to which Rekha responded, “it wasn’t love, for sure.”
She shared that it was during their honeymoon in London that reality hit her about the differences between them. After a few months, they filed for divorce, which she claimed was not her idea in the first place. “A stage came in our relationship when both of us decided that our incompatibility was too much to overcome,” said Rekha. Rekha’s marriage to Mukesh and his suicide shaped her process of accepting the truth and the despairing reality that ultimately became inevitable.
She also shared how “you go on this self-pity trip… then try to understand it, in vain… and then, finally, of course, acceptance.”
Decades have passed since the sorrowful chapter of Rekha’s life, and while speaking about that dark phase, the actor once said she “got a crash course of what people are all about.”
Today, Rekha has become a symbol of elegance and a representation of womanhood, having balanced her personal life and career equally. As for companionship, the only constant presence beside Rekha has been her long-time manager and secretary, Farzana Jaffrey, who is also rumoured to be her live-in partner. Years ago, when Simi Garewal asked whether Rekha would remarry, she replied, “to a man?” Garewal, shocked by her response, said, “Well, not a woman, obviously.” Rekha replied, “Why not?”
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