Veteran actress Rekha has always made headlines for her timeless beauty, elegance, and powerful screen presence. Admired for her grace and dignity in public life, the actress has also lived through deep personal struggles that remained hidden behind her glamorous persona.
Labelled an ‘Illegitimate Child’
Born as Bhanurekha Ganesan, Rekha is the daughter of Tamil cinema legend Gemini Ganesan and actress Pushpavalli. At the time of her birth, Gemini Ganesan was already married, and the relationship between him and Pushpavalli was extramarital. As a result, Rekha was often cruelly labelled an “illegitimate child.”
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Ironically, as Rekha rose to fame and became one of Hindi cinema’s most celebrated actresses, Gemini Ganesan increasingly came to be identified as her father rather than the other way around.
Growing Up In A Complicated Family
Rekha grew up in a large, complex family. Her mother Pushpavalli had relationships with three partners and six children in total. Gemini Ganesan, on the other hand, had eight children, four from his wife Alamelu, and two each from Pushpavalli and actress Savitri.
Despite this complicated family structure, Rekha’s childhood was shaped by emotional distance from her father.
‘I Didn’t Know What The Word ‘Father’ Meant’
In a candid conversation with Simi Garewal, Rekha once spoke honestly about her relationship, or the lack of it, with her father.
“I was a baby when he moved out. I don’t remember that. Looking back, maybe I did miss him. But when you haven’t tasted something, you don’t know what it means. I didn’t know what the word ‘father’ meant.”
Although Gemini Ganesan never lived with her, Rekha would occasionally see him at school when he came to drop off one of her half-sisters.
“I don’t think he noticed me. I don’t think he saw me,” she recalled.
Discovering A Half-Sister At School
In the book Eternal Romantic: My Father, Gemini Ganesan by Narayani Ganesh, a deeply emotional incident was revealed. Narayani wrote that when she was 10 years old, a classmate asked her why she didn’t travel with her sister.
Confused, Narayani was then taken to meet Rekha.
“She was pretty and her eyes were lined with mascara. She said her name was Bhanurekha,” Narayani wrote.
When Narayani asked Rekha who her father was, she replied, “Gemini Ganesan.”
“My eyes were filled with tears. How could that be? He was my father,” Narayani recalled.
Rekha’s Mother ‘Constantly Spoke’ About Gemini Ganesan
Despite the separation, Pushpavalli never erased Gemini Ganesan’s presence from Rekha’s life. Rekha later shared that her mother spoke about him constantly.
“Though he never lived with us, we felt his presence wherever we went. My mother constantly spoke about him—his likes and dislikes. Whatever you wish to call it—love or affection—the feeling my mother had towards him was strong and positive. It lasted throughout her life.”
Rekha also maintained that she grew up in what felt like a normal household.
“We were not given the impression that something was out of the ordinary or dysfunctional.”
Rekha entered the film industry at the age of 14, not by choice but due to her mother’s mounting debts. Despite her success, Gemini Ganesan never publicly acknowledged her presence during her early years.
A Turbulent Personal Life And Marriage
Rekha’s personal life was marked by heartbreak. After multiple emotional setbacks, she married industrialist Mukesh Aggarwal in 1990. Gemini Ganesan attended the small wedding ceremony in Tirupati and blessed the couple.
Tragically, Rekha was widowed the same year when Mukesh Aggarwal died by suicide.
Why Rekha Refused To Attend Her Father’s Funeral
When Gemini Ganesan passed away in 2005, Rekha chose not to attend his funeral. Film critic Subhash K Jha later quoted Rekha explaining her decision:
“Why should I grieve for him when he’s so much a part of me? I’m grateful for his genes, his teachings, his rich life, and his sheer existence. I’m happy I didn’t have to share unpleasant moments with him. He existed for me in my imagination—and that’s so much more beautiful than reality.”
