BollyParty

Evergreen Bollywood diva Rekha, who charmed cine lovers with her performances for over two decades, turned 54 today and spent the day with close family and friends at her suburban Bandra residence.

Rekha was particularly recognised for her roles in women-oriented films like 'Khubsoorat', 'Umrao Jaan' which won her a national award, and 'Khoon Bhari Mang' that fetched her a Filmfare award.

Rekha has acted in over 180 films in a career spanning 40 years.

She is one of the few Hindi film actresses who had the versatility to carry with equal aplomb diverse roles like the young brat in 'Khoobsoorat', the sultry siren in 'Muqaddar Ka Sikander', the housewife in 'Ijaazat' and the classical courtesan in 'Umrao Jaan'.

Among her offbeat films were Shyam Benegal's 'Kalyug', Ramesh Talwar's 'Baseraa', which saw her playing the woman who marries her sister's husband and loses her mental balance, and commercially successful 'Ek Hi Bhool' opposite Jeetendra.

Other notable art films were 'Jeevan', 'Dhaara', 'Utsav' and 'Ijazat'.

Her diction and dialogue delivery in Hindi and Urdu languages was immpeccable. She has essayed every role with dignity and characterisation that made it difficult to visualise anybody else but her in those roles.

In doing so, she carved a indelible name for herself in the annals of Hindi cinema.

Since the 1990s, she has appeared in fewer movies notably, 'Kamasutra: A tale of love', 'Khiladiyon ka Khiladi', 'Lajja', 'Zubeidaa', 'Dil Hai Tumhara', 'Koi Mil Gaya' and 'Krrish'.