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Actresses

Rekha (Actress) Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 1, 2026 • 3 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth10 October 1954

Age70 Years

BirthplaceChennai, Tamil Nadu, India

ProfessionActress

NationalityIndian

Marital statusDivorced

SpouseLate Mukesh Agarwal (m. January 1990; d. October 1990)

FamilyFather - Gemini Ganesan; Mother - Pushpavalli; Brother - Sathish Kumar Ganesan; Sisters - Kamala Selvaraj, Radha, Jaya Sreedhar, Vijaya Chamundeswari, Revathi Swaminathan, Narayani Ganesh

Rekha (Actress) Biography

Rekha, born Bhanurekha Ganesan on 10 October 1954 in Chennai, is a celebrated Indian actress whose career spans decades and includes a National Film Award,

Early life and background

Bhanurekha Ganesan, known professionally as Rekha, was born on 10 October 1954 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Raised in a family connected to the film world, she is the daughter of actor Gemini Ganesan and actress Pushpavalli. Rekha attended Church Park Convent in Chennai. Her childhood and early teens included work in regional cinema; she appeared as a child artist and later began taking on lead roles in South Indian films.

Career

Rekha launched her screen life at a young age. Her earliest credited work as a child artist was in the 1966 Telugu film Rangula Ratnam. She progressed to leading roles in regional films, with one of her early female-lead credits coming in the 1969 Kannada film Operation Jackpot Nalli C.I.D 999. Over time Rekha moved into mainstream Hindi cinema where she developed a reputation for strong performances and a distinctive screen presence.

Her body of work has been recognized with major honors. In 1982 she received the National Film Award for Best Actress for her performance in Umrao Jaan. Later, in 2010, the Government of India awarded her the Padma Shri, one of the country's civilian honors, in recognition of her contribution to Indian cinema. Beyond acting, Rekha has lent her voice as a dubbing artist for other actresses and recorded songs for film when asked by contemporaries in the industry.

Public profile

Rekha became a prominent and sometimes controversial figure in Indian popular culture. Public attention has followed aspects of her personal life and professional relationships, and some incidents from earlier in her career have been discussed widely in media and biographies. Despite the scrutiny, she maintained a reputation for punctuality and a hands-on approach to her personal style, reportedly selecting her own wardrobe and hairstyles rather than working with a stylist.

Her artistic interests extend beyond the screen. Rekha is known to practice yoga, write poetry, and create charcoal sketches. In later years she has spoken about enjoying solitary pursuits such as gardening and painting, and she follows a vegetarian lifestyle.

Rekha has also served in a public role: in 2012 she was nominated to the Rajya Sabha, India's upper house of Parliament, where she served as a member of the standing committee on food, consumer affairs and civil supplies.

Personal life

Rekha's family includes numerous siblings: she has one brother, Sathish Kumar Ganesan, and several sisters, including Kamala Selvaraj, Radha, Jaya Sreedhar, Vijaya Chamundeswari, Revathi Swaminathan and Narayani Ganesh. She has described a variety of relationships over the years and has been married; her marriage to Mukesh Agarwal in January 1990 ended with his death later that year. Rekha does not have children.

Public incidents and controversies

As a figure in the public eye for many decades, Rekha's life has been the subject of books, interviews and news accounts that recount episodes from her career and personal life. Some of these accounts include disputed or strongly debated claims; at least one author associated with a biography of Rekha has publicly denied certain sensational quotations attributed to his work. Rekha herself has commented on or dismissed some lines of questioning in interviews.

Latest updates

In recent years Rekha has maintained a lower public profile, focusing on creative hobbies and private life. Conversations about her past, including interviews and reminiscences by contemporaries in the industry, continue to surface in media, and archival stories and profiles remain a part of how her legacy is discussed.

Rekha remains widely regarded as a major presence in Indian cinema, recognized for both her award-winning performances and her long-standing public persona.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Rekha (Actress), send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

Umrao Jaan

Award-winning performance that earned Rekha the National Film Award for Best Actress

1982
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Career Highlights

  1. Child artist debut in Rangula Ratnam (1966)
  2. Female lead credit in Operation Jackpot Nalli C.I.D 999 (1969)
  3. National Film Award for Best Actress for Umrao Jaan (1982)
  4. Awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India (2010)
  5. Nominated to the Rajya Sabha (2012)
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Rekha (Actress) born?

Rekha (Actress) was born on 10 October 1954.

What is Rekha (Actress) known for?

Rekha (Actress) is known for actress.

What is Rekha (Actress)’s marital status?

Rekha (Actress)'s marital status is listed as Divorced.

Who is Rekha (Actress) married to?

Rekha (Actress) is publicly listed as married to Late Mukesh Agarwal (m. January 1990; d. October 1990).