Rekha came to Mumbai alone at 13, was forced into films, then fell in love with acting
Veteran actress Rekha reflects on her early career, revealing she was pressured into the film industry by her mother at a young age. She describes her initial years in cinema as a forced experience rather than a personal ambition.
Why it matters
It provides a rare, candid look at the personal struggles and lack of agency faced by child actors in the mid-20th century Indian film industry.
Rekha is one of the most recognised names in Indian cinema. But in a 1986 interview, the actress spoke about a very different beginning to her film career. She revealed that becoming an actress was never her childhood dream. In fact, she said she was forced to work in films and did not enjoy it for the first six to seven years.Speaking about her early life to BBC India, her mother’s influence and her journey from South Indian films to Bollywood, Rekha explained how she entered the industry at a young age. She also recalled arriving in Bombay alone when she was just 13 years old, despite not knowing Hindi.“I never wanted to become an actress”During the 1986 BBC India interview, the interviewer asked Rekha about her parents. Her father was a famous actor in South India, while her mother was also an actress.
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