Page 9 - Seniorstoday July-2023 Issue

went to Rekha—like Utsav, Ijaazat, Basera,
also the revenge drama Khoon Bhari
Maang.
Her past filmography was enough to
keep up audience interest in her, even
as her movie releases slowed to a trickle.
It was also that air of mystery that she
deliberately cultivated, hidden behind the
walls of the bungalow, into which very few
of the inner circle were admitted.
She appeared at awards functions,
resplendent in gold Kanjeevarams and
temple jewellery, looking elegant and
majestic, also, more out of date each year.
That kind of overblown glamour was
dropped by the new bunch of actresses,
who favoured gowns and Western outfits,
and a casual Insta interaction with fans.
Part of Vogue’s cover spread of the glamourous actress
The Hindustan Times
Barbie AI images created by Myntra
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #49 | JULY 2023
The new Vogue photo spread and the
slightly ridiculous Barbie AI images
created by Myntra (she never looked like
that when she was young), really do not do
Rekha any favours. Of course, she appears
fabulous, but also fake, so thickly layered
with make-up that she can’t smile, hence,
the standard sultry gaze. The millennial
and Gen Z generation admire her classic
beauty, but also think she is a throwback.
Hema Malini, Zeenat Aman, Shabana
Azmi face the world without make-up
and artifice. They have lives and careers
that allow them to interact with the world
outside, while Rekha keeps herself shut
in her ivory tower. Women would want
to see older women look natural and not
surgically altered or plastered with paint.
Zeenat Aman and Dimple Kapadia wear
their grey hair with pride. There is nothing
shameful about ageing, about facial
lines that indicate a life well lived. When
Rekha can face the world without filters,
she will come out as the true diva and an
inspiration for women who have grown up
idolising her.
9