Award show stages have often delivered moments as entertaining as the films themselves. One such throwback comes from the 2010 Screen Awards, where Rekha shared the stage with Shah Rukh Khan and Shahid Kapoor, and left everyone surprised with her choice of favourite romantic actors.
The segment began on a playful note, with Shah Rukh Khan and Shahid Kapoor joining Rekha on stage for a dance. The two actors then went on to shower her with compliments, celebrating her timeless beauty and charm, before steering the conversation in a fun direction.
After the praise, Shah Rukh asked Rekha to name her favourite actors, only for Shahid to quickly specify, favourite ‘romantic’ actors. What followed was a moment that caught many off guard.
“He is unbelievably romantic…”
Rekha began listing her favourites, but instead of naming contemporary stars, she chose to honour legends. “Firstly, I will say Dilip Kumar. He is unbelievably romantic. Then Dev Anand, Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Jeetendra, Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Rajesh Khanna, Vinod Khanna, Shatrughan Sinha…” she said, continuing her list of iconic names.
As the list grew longer, Shah Rukh interrupted with a playful nudge, suggesting she might have forgotten someone. Shahid added that perhaps she had missed someone from their generation. Rekha responded with a witty remark, “I must have forgotten because of the age gap,” prompting laughter from the audience.
Keeping the banter going, Shah Rukh quipped, “Par aap toh athra baras ki hai,” referencing Rekha’s popular song. He then jokingly reminded her that both he and Shahid were her big fans, subtly hinting that their names hadn’t made it to the list.
Rekha handled the moment with her signature grace and humour. “I have many fans,” she replied, before playfully obliging when Shah Rukh asked her to give them autographs on their hearts. She mimed signing on their chests, turning the moment into a crowd-pleasing act. The segment ended with Rekha asking both actors to dance for her, bringing the playful exchange full circle.
Years later, the moment remains a reminder of Rekha’s wit and her timeless admiration for classic romance on screen.
