'Amma' wards off evil eye as Rekha turns 60

New Delhi: Bollywood's ageless beauty Rekha, who turns 60 Friday, says she is still put through the practice of warding away the evil eye -- a ritual that her mother exercised for her well being.

She describes herself as a "student of life" and believes in acting upon things.

"On my birthday, I remember my amma (Pushpavalli) a lot. Every word of hers, I remember. Yes, she would always 'nazar utaro' on me and that ritual continues till date," Rekha said in an exclusive radio interview to 92.7 BIG FM.

Now, she has an 'amma", who has been with the family since many years.

"She used to work for my grandmother and she is the one who performs all these rituals. So, if I yawn or sneeze or laugh and even when I'm just thinking something, she is the first one to 'nazar utaro'.

"I also remember my mother's blessings and this is the day I feel grateful to her for the genes that I have inherited from her and my father (Gemini Ganesan)," said the actress, who metamorphosed into a diva from the overweight young actress she was in her first Hindi film "Saawan Bhadon".

Rekha doesn't believe in celebrating her birthday by doing anything special because she feels "every day, I'm born anew".

"I genuinely don't understand the importance that people give to their birthdays or any special day, be it a festival or a birthday. I believe that every day is a celebration and everyday I'm born anew and genuinely try to leave every day differently. Everyday I like to learn something new, something different; I'd like to teach others something new too.

"I can't give advice per say to someone because I'm a student of life myself, but whatever experiences I have had in my life, I like to share that with people and when someone talks to me, I give them my two-bits," she said.

There sure is a lot to learn from Rekha, who has continued her tryst with movies, and will soon be seen in Bollywood entertainer "Super Naani".

Her “Sawan Bhadon” (1970) made her an overnight star and over a decade later she touched new heights in Muzaffar Ali's period drama "Umrao Jaan" (1981) that even won her a National Award.