Rekha is glad she still resonates with young talent today

Rekha, the evergreen Indian actor, has set social media abuzz with her stunning pictures for Vogue Arabia’s July/August 2023 issue. We’re not the only ones in awe of her — younger stars and powerhouses like Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone also spoke to Vogue about their admiration for the actor.

In the interview, Khan expressed his admiration for her, saying, “Her charisma is unmatched, and she leaves an indelible mark on every role she portrays.”

Padukone said, “Rekha’s aura is magnetic. She can effortlessly captivate an entire audience with just a glance, and her performances are a masterclass in acting.”

“Today there is an avalanche of young talent with extraordinary skills and I am thoroughly impressed by their debut performances. And it gives me great pleasure that I am here to witness their rise,” said Rekha in the interview.

“It is also incredibly heartening to see how they resonate with me when so many of my colleagues have been long forgotten by this new generation. They recognise that the work I do now, very sparingly, is still done with a sense of great reverence for the craft, with gratitude, and absolute love.”

Rekha, who will be celebrating her 70th birthday next year, continues to captivate a new generation of actors and audiences. While she hasn’t appeared on the silver screen since 2014, she describes herself as a “joyful and fulfilled recluse.” She chooses to appear in public based on her instinct and maintains control over her cinematic persona, cherishing the luxury to say no.

According to Vogue, she resides in her Mumbai home — named Pushpavalli after her mother — which has an interior that reflects her deep-rooted values and culture, adorned with antiques, rare art, and vintage textiles that pay homage to her childhood abode.

Rekha’s spiritual connection to her home shines through in her meticulous care for it, considering cleaning an act of spiritual service. She finds immense joy and fulfilment in the little moments of stillness and presence, turning her abode into a shrine of serenity and bliss. To her, “life feels like a living dream.”