Bollywood's 'Umrao Jaan' Rekha turns 61

New Delhi: The 'Queen of Bollywood' Rekha turns 61 on Saturday. Rekha has successfully crossed all the hurdles in her life to etch an indelible mark in the history of Indian Cinema. The wonderful performances, breathtaking beauty and the personal struggles will definitely leave one in awe of Rekha.

The 'Umrao Jaan' of Bollywood practices regular Yoga in order to keep herself fit. Even today, when Rekha graces an event or an award ceremony, she looks bewitching in her usual kanjivaram saree!

The actress has worked in a number of movies ever since she stepped into the film world. Rekha has worked in a number of movies with Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan and to whom she was romantically linked with. Rekha has piled up a number of awards and credentials in her kitty.

Her acting prowess and the evergreen beauty is reflected in many of her movies. She has never refrained from taking risks nor was appalled by the controversies. 

The actress best known for her grandeur performances in films like 'Khubsoorat', 'Khoon Bhari Maang' and 'Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi' also happens to be in the best books of the industry for her versatility.

She embarked on her journey as a film actress in 1966 as a child actress in the Telegu film 'Rangula Ratnam'. As an actress she has donned many a hats.

Remember the desi girl Chanda in 'Sawan Bhadon'? The movie went on to smash the box office with its success. She is also known for her performances in Arthouse or parallel cinema. She wasn't bothered when she became the controversy's child. Despite family issues and personal glitches, Rekha was headstrong for making a career in movies. She abandoned her studies and followed her heart. Few are such brave-hearted people.

Rekha also managed to overcome myriad other challenges that surrounded her at the time of her exploration in Bollywood. One of them was the problem of language. Since she was from South India, Rekha faced difficulties in communication in the initial phase of her Bollywood career.

Rekha has worked in nearly 180 films.

The career graph of Rekha's career has gone through several ups and downs – but Rekha has always tried and has been able to impress the audience with her acting skills.

Rekha has won 3 Filmfare Awards, National Film Award for Best Actress, Star Screen Award, Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award, Zee Cine Award, Dinanath Mangeshkar Award, and many other. She has also been honoured with the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2010.

We wish the Bollywood damsel to keep achieving in life, here's wishing her a very happy birthday!