Rekha - from `Umrao Jaan' to `Rajya Sabha member'

New Delhi: Rekha's continued absence from Rajya Sabha has been hotly debated members of the upper house of the parliament in past few days. She has been accused of not taking her responsibilities as a RS member seriously.In fact, her presence in Parliament has always been a head-turner for everyone present. One of the most stunning faces in Parliament, Rekha almost caused a stampede outside Parliament. Everybody, including the photographers, just wanted to get a glimpse of the beautiful actress in her new avtar, a political one.She was able to create exactly the same buzz and sensation with her first look in Parliament which one could feel when she made her first appearance in a movie. Class and elegance is what struck one's mind on seeing Rekha taking oath as a Rajya Sabha member.But the journey till here has not been a cakewalk for Rekha. Criticized for her looks and hair do in her initial days in Bollywood, Rekha groomed herself up to an extent that one day she became the sex symbol for the entire film fraternity.Born as Bhanurekha Ganesham to Tamil actor Gemini Ganeshan and Telegu actress Pushpvalli, Rekha chose to follow the footsteps of her parents and made her debut in the film industry as a child actress in Telegu movie Rangula Rantnam in 1966. Her first film in Hindi was Swan Bhadon four years later in 1970.Even after delivering considerably good performances in numerous movies, Rekha was slated due to her looks in mid 70s. Rekha went under a drastic makeover in late 70s which proved a turning point for her career. She came to known as a sex symbol and an epitome of class and elegance.She was then able to bag numerous Filmfares and other awards. A conventional mistress in Umrao Jaan to a strong headed female in Khoon Bhari Maang, Rekha proved her metal and started made her way into the category of the most versatile actresses of her time.Rekha's parents never married hence making Rekha an illegitimate child of Gemini Ganeshan and Pushpvalli. Bad financial conditions in her family prevailed throughout her childhood. Falling prey of the circumstances Rekha quit her school and took up acting as a career.Rekha never had a turmoil-free childhood. Moving forward in her life, Rekha married an industrialist, Mukesh Aggarwal. But there also Rekha could not find any luck. Her husband committed suicide an year after their marriage leaving a letter behind telling that no one was to be blamed. Rekha, who had gathered herself, was shattered once again. It was rumored that after the death of her husband, Rekha re-married actor Vinod Khanna on 1973. But in a television interview with host and actress Simi Garewal, Rekha cleared the air and said that she never married Vinod Mehra and that he was only a well-wisher.Rekha was associated with superstar Amitabh Bachchan for a long period of time but the affair could not last as Amitabh married Jaya.Rekha's personal as well as professional life has always become a talk of the town. Rekha made sure that even in her new innings as a politician she succeeds in maintaining a dignified and an exclusive charm in the parliament.Her aura was such that on arrival inside the Upper House, she was welcomed by almost all members by thumping of desks. Rekha, who has been nominated to Rajya Sabha by the President, was welcomed and congratulated by Chairman Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley after she registered herself in the member's register.