'I won’t act with this dark-skinned girl,' hero declared—Rekha faced body shaming even from stars

At just 15, Bollywood actress Rekha stepped into the world of cinema, making her debut in a Kannada film. The following year, she appeared in a Telugu movie, and within months, she found herself in Bollywood.

In 1968, businessman Kuljit Pal arrived at Gemini Studios in Chennai, searching for a fresh face to play the lead in his upcoming film 'Anjana Safar'. That’s where he spotted Rekha. After a brief audition, she was cast as the heroine.

This was how Rekha landed in Mumbai, but during the shoot, she endured one of the most distressing moments of her career. The film included a kissing scene. The director and the male lead, Biswajit Chatterjee, had already planned how it had to be shot — without informing Rekha. As the cameras rolled, Biswajit suddenly grabbed her and kissed her forcefully on the lips. Rekha was caught completely off guard. The scene dragged on for several minutes while the director refused to call "cut”. Crew members stood around, cheering and whistling. Rekha, too stunned to react, closed her eyes and when she finally opened them, tears streamed down her face.

'Anjana Safar' ran into censorship troubles and was delayed for years before finally being released under a new title, 'Do Shikari'. However, the controversial kiss made headlines. Life magazine’s Asian edition featured a photograph of the scene as its cover, sparking widespread discussion. The incident attracted international attention, and an American journalist even traveled to India to interview Rekha. It was during this conversation that she first spoke out about the traumatic experience.

Despite the delay in her debut film's release, Rekha’s career gained momentum. She was soon cast in Sawan Bhadon, alongside newcomer Navin Nischol. But Navin was unimpressed. The moment he saw Rekha, he reportedly declared that he did not want her as his co-star, dismissing her as “too plump” and “too dark”.

Early in her career, Rekha faced relentless ridicule—not just from critics but also from Bollywood’s biggest stars. Raj Kapoor allegedly quipped to Kuljit Pal, “You must be an industrialist from Africa—that’s why you like such a heroine.”

Even Shashi Kapoor publicly humiliated her at an event, saying, “I just don’t see how this girl can be a heroine.”

Sexist remarks and body shaming were routine. However, Rekha refused to be broken. She endured, she transformed and in time, she silenced them all.