Veteran actress Rekha is one of Bollywood’s most talented and beloved Atlicles. Despite being the daughter of the legendary Gemini Ganesan, Rekha and her family faced economic struggles, and her pedigree did not guarantee her a smooth entry into Hindi cinema. Even after landing the role of Reid, she faces harassment on set, revealing the harsh reality behind her rise to stardom.Do Shikari’s controversial sceneYasser Usman’s book Rekha: The Untold Story sheds light on the troubling events from Rekha’s early career. According to the book, actor Biswajit, Director Kurjeet Paland cinematographer Raja Nawathe conspired to kiss Reka’s lips the moment the camera began to roll, and without her consent. When Sheen was shot, Biswajeet went through the plan and Rekha felt shocked and betrayed. Biswajeet acknowledged Rekha’s rage, but he insisted that his actions were deemed necessary for the film, not for personal enjoyment.Director’s conflicting claimsHowever, director Kuljeet Pal provided another version, claiming that Rekha had fully recognized the kissing scene and gave her consent. He claims that Rekha had no objection to the scene, and is informed that she would be better off expressing her discomfort publicly, as such scenes were unusual for the heroine of Hindi films at the time. Still, he says she knew the scene from the start.A career that has risen against all possibilitiesFilming for Do Shikari began in 1969, but the film was not released until 1979. Meanwhile, Rekha made his official Hindi film debut in 1970 with Sawan Bhadon. Throughout the 1970s, Dharmatma, Ghar, Muqaddar Ka Sikander, Mr. Just as Natwarlal led Decade, he appeared in popular films like Mr. Natwarlal.
