# Rekha filmography
The filmography of **Rekha** (born Bhanurekha Ganesan, 1954, Madras, now Chennai) covers the screen work of one of [Hindi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindi-cinema)'s longest-active leading actresses, from her debut as a child performer in Telugu film in the 1960s through more than two hundred films across Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, and [Kannada cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/kannada-cinema).[1](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/rekha/filmography) Her honors include a National Film Award for Best Actress, multiple [Filmfare Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/filmfare-awards), and the Padma Shri conferred by the Government of India.[1](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/rekha/filmography)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Screen debut | Child role in the Telugu film *Rangula Ratnam* (1966); first Hindi lead in *Sawan Bhadon* (1970)[5](https://indiancine.ma/documents/DSP/Encyclopedia%2520of%2520Indian%2520Cinema.pdf) • [1](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/rekha/filmography) |
| Output | More than two hundred films over a career spanning more than five decades[1](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/rekha/filmography) |
| National honor | National Film Award for Best Actress for *Umrao Jaan* (1981), cited for "an appealing portrayal of Umrao Jaan, a real-life courtesan and poetess of the 19th century"[3](https://nfaindia.org/images/pdf/29th%20National%20Film%20Award%20Catalogue.pdf) |
| Filmfare Awards | Best Actress for *Khubsoorat* (1980) and *Khoon Bhari Maang* (1988); Best Supporting Actress for *Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi* (1996)[7](https://hindi.filmibeat.com/celebs/rekha.html) |
| Career turning point | *Ghar* (1978) and *Muqaddar Ka Sikandar* (1978) inaugurated a decade of sustained success[1](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/rekha/filmography) |
| Later career | Character and cameo roles from 2001, including *Lajja*, *Zubeidaa*, *Koi... Mil Gaya* (2003), and *Krrish* (2006)[1](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/rekha/filmography) • [2](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/celebrity/rekha/filmography/star-cast/) |
| Public service | Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha from 2012 to 2018[1](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/rekha/filmography) |
## Beginnings, 1966 to 1977
Rekha is the daughter of the actors [Gemini Ganesan](https://www.edgepedia.org/gemini-ganesan) and [Pushpavalli](https://www.edgepedia.org/pushpavalli), and she began acting as a child in Telugu films before moving into lead roles.[1](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/rekha/filmography) The *Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema* records her first appearance as a child artist in *Rangula Ratnam* (1966), followed by her Hindi debut as a leading lady in *Sawan Bhadon* (1970).[5](https://indiancine.ma/documents/DSP/Encyclopedia%2520of%2520Indian%2520Cinema.pdf) The same source lists a dense run of Hindi releases through the early 1970s, including *Dost Aur Dushman* and *Elaan* (1971), *Namak Haraam* and *Anokhi Ada* (1973), and *Woh Main Nahin* (1974).[5](https://indiancine.ma/documents/DSP/Encyclopedia%2520of%2520Indian%2520Cinema.pdf)
Despite early commercial success, she faced criticism of her appearance and her command of Hindi, and she responded with a deliberate transformation, refining her Hindi, developing a distinctive style, and working systematically on her craft.[1](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/rekha/filmography) Films from this stretch that the encyclopedia lists include *Do Anjaane* (1976) with [Amitabh Bachchan](https://www.edgepedia.org/amitabh-bachchan) and *Kabeela* (1976) with Feroz Khan.[5](https://indiancine.ma/documents/DSP/Encyclopedia%2520of%2520Indian%2520Cinema.pdf)
## Breakthrough and the 1980s
The late 1970s marked a decisive turn. Her performances in Manik Chatterjee's *Ghar* (1978) and *Muqaddar Ka Sikandar* (1978) established her as a leading presence and opened a decade of sustained success.[1](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/rekha/filmography) In 1979 she appeared in *Suhaag* and *Mr Natwarlal*, and in 1980 she won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress for Hrishikesh Mukherjee's comedy *Khubsoorat*.[5](https://indiancine.ma/documents/DSP/Encyclopedia%2520of%2520Indian%2520Cinema.pdf) • [1](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/rekha/filmography)
**1981 was her densest and most honored year.** The encyclopedia lists ten releases for 1981, among them *Baseraa*, *Silsila* directed by [Yash Chopra](https://www.edgepedia.org/yash-chopra), and *Umrao Jaan* directed by Muzaffar Ali.[5](https://indiancine.ma/documents/DSP/Encyclopedia%2520of%2520Indian%2520Cinema.pdf) Her portrayal of the courtesan in *Umrao Jaan* earned her the National Film Award for Best Actress; the award citation praised "an appealing portrayal of Umrao Jaan, a real-life courtesan and poetess of the 19th century," and the 29th [National Film Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-film-awards) catalog notes that she was keen on acting in films by independent filmmakers alongside commercial work.[3](https://nfaindia.org/images/pdf/29th%20National%20Film%20Award%20Catalogue.pdf) The 30th National Film Awards retrospective of Best Actress winners from 1972 to 1982 lists *Umrao Jaan* as the 1982 award film.[4](https://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/87_30thNfacatalogue.pdf)
Through the rest of the decade she worked in both mainstream and parallel cinema. The encyclopedia lists *Jeevan Dhaara* and *Vijeta* (1982), *Agar Tum Na Hote* (1983), [Girish Karnad](https://www.edgepedia.org/girish-karnad)'s *Utsav* (1984), Gulzar's *Ijaazat* (1987), and the revenge drama *Khoon Bhari Maang* (1988), directed by [Rakesh Roshan](https://www.edgepedia.org/rakesh-roshan), which revitalized her career and brought a second [Filmfare Award for Best Actress](https://www.edgepedia.org/filmfare-award-for-best-actress).[5](https://indiancine.ma/documents/DSP/Encyclopedia%2520of%2520Indian%2520Cinema.pdf) • [1](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/rekha/filmography) Bollywood Hungama's dated list places *Khoon Bhari Maang* on 12 August 1988 and *Ijaazat* on 1 January 1988.[2](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/celebrity/rekha/filmography/star-cast/)
## 1990s
Her filmography shows a heavy but declining schedule through the early 1990s. Bollywood Hungama lists *Phool Bane Angarey* (12 July 1991), four 1992 releases including *Geetanjali* with [Jeetendra](https://www.edgepedia.org/jeetendra), *Madam X* (1994), and *Nishana* (1995).[2](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/celebrity/rekha/filmography/star-cast/) The Times of India filmography dates *Geetanjali* to 28 May 1993 with a running time of 2 hours 2 minutes.[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/rekha%2C/filmography)
In the second half of the decade she took on unconventional roles that drew both critical admiration and public debate: *Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi* (14 June 1996) with [Akshay Kumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/akshay-kumar) and [Raveena Tandon](https://www.edgepedia.org/raveena-tandon), Mira Nair's *Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love* (released 6 February 1998 per Bollywood Hungama), and Basu Bhattacharya's *Aastha: In the Prison of Spring* (28 January 1997).[2](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/celebrity/rekha/filmography/star-cast/) • [1](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/rekha/filmography) Her supporting role in *Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi* won the [Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress](https://www.edgepedia.org/filmfare-award-for-best-supporting-actress).[7](https://hindi.filmibeat.com/celebs/rekha.html)
## 2001 to 2018: character roles and selectivity
From 2001 to 2007 Rekha became selective, moving into character roles and appearances. Bollywood Hungama dates *Zubeidaa* to 1 January 2001, *Censor* to 6 April 2001, *Lajja* to 31 August 2001, and *Dil Hai Tumhaara* to 6 September 2002.[2](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/celebrity/rekha/filmography/star-cast/) In 2003 she appeared in Rakesh Roshan's *Koi... Mil Gaya* (8 August 2003) and in Ram Gopal Varma's *Bhoot* (30 May 2003), followed by the sequel *Krrish* (23 June 2006).[2](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/celebrity/rekha/filmography/star-cast/) • [8](https://hindi.filmibeat.com/celebs/rekha/filmography.html)
Two 2005 and 2007 appearances show the shape of her later work. In Pradeep Sarkar's *Parineeta* (10 June 2005) she made a special appearance for the song "Kaisi Paheli Zindagani," composed by Shantanu Moitra and sung by Sunidhi Chauhan, set in a retro 1950s aesthetic.[1](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/rekha/filmography) In Farah Khan's *Om Shanti Om* (9 November 2007) she appeared briefly in the closing song "Deewangi Deewangi" alongside other Hindi film stars.[1](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/rekha/filmography) • [2](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/celebrity/rekha/filmography/star-cast/) Gautam Ghosh's *Yatra*, with Nana Patekar and Deepti Naval, released 4 May 2007.[2](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/celebrity/rekha/filmography/star-cast/)
Her final screen credits in the Hindi filmographies are sparse: *Sadiyaan* (2 April 2010), *Dashavtar* (17 April 2009), *Super Nani* (31 October 2014), *Shamitabh* (6 February 2015), and a cameo in *Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se* (31 August 2018).[2](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/celebrity/rekha/filmography/star-cast/) Filmibeat's Hindi filmography also credits her in *Fitoor* (12 February 2016) and *Krrish 3* (1 November 2013).[8](https://hindi.filmibeat.com/celebs/rekha/filmography.html)
## By the numbers
The sources give different totals because they count differently. The Tuli Research Centre describes a career of more than two hundred films;[1](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/rekha/filmography) a Marathi-language career account states more than 180 films across Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada; and an auction catalog notes over 190 films in various languages.[9](https://www.indigoart.in/uploads/auctions_data/240215011715_FilmyPDF.pdf) The *Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema* year-by-year list shows the peak of output between 1971 and 1991, with single years carrying as many as ten releases (1973, 1978, 1981, 1984, 1985), and a gap in 1986 followed by a cluster of 1987 releases.[5](https://indiancine.ma/documents/DSP/Encyclopedia%2520of%2520Indian%2520Cinema.pdf) Database counts can also mislead by name: the Times of India topic page for "Rekha" lists 126 filmography entries that include unrelated titles such as the 1957 Telugu film *Bhagya Rekha* and a 2023 Malayalam film titled *Rekha*, so title-based searches must be checked against the credited cast.[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/rekha%2C/filmography)
## References
1. [Rekha, Tuli Research Centre for India Studies](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/rekha/filmography)
2. [Rekha Movies List, Bollywood Hungama](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/celebrity/rekha/filmography/star-cast/)
3. [29th National Film Awards Catalogue, National Film Archive of India](https://nfaindia.org/images/pdf/29th%20National%20Film%20Award%20Catalogue.pdf)
4. [30th National Film Awards Catalogue, Directorate of Film Festivals](https://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/87_30thNfacatalogue.pdf)
5. [Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema filmography pages, indiancine.ma](https://indiancine.ma/documents/DSP/Encyclopedia%2520of%2520Indian%2520Cinema.pdf)
6. [Rekha Filmography, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/rekha%2C/filmography)
7. [रेखा: फिल्में, जीवनी और पुरस्कार, Filmibeat Hindi](https://hindi.filmibeat.com/celebs/rekha.html)
8. [रेखा फिल्मोग्राफी, Filmibeat Hindi](https://hindi.filmibeat.com/celebs/rekha/filmography.html)
9. [Rekha auction catalog note, Indigo Art](https://www.indigoart.in/uploads/auctions_data/240215011715_FilmyPDF.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Awards and screen reference › Individual filmographies › South Asian filmographies*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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