Rekha still dreams of meeting her prince charming
From Noreen Aslam

MUMBAI— Bollywood diva Rekha, who at 51 remains the heartthrob of Indian cine-goers, says she still hopes to meet her ideal man.
“May be I’m being unreal and impractical, but I’m not in denial. If I find someone who’s willing to share me with my fans, I might change my mind,” Rekha told newsmen.
“If I had a man, I’d just be devoting all my attention to that one person. I’ll take out his clothes, personally monitor his menu, prepare the lunch and personally deliver it to him.”
But Rekha, the star of the original “Umrao Jaan”, doesn’t crave for children.
“I do not miss children. Even if I find the ultimate man to have babies with, it’d be very unfair to my priorities. Because if I have a baby, I won’t be able to focus on anything else.”
On her glam appearance, she says: “I don’t have to spend hours planning and executing my clothes and makeup. I’ve done it for 40-odd years. I can’t bring myself to spend more than 15 minutes on makeup and clothes.”
Excerpts:
Q: Your fans still feel very distant from you.
A: I beg to defer. My fans are no different from me. They celebrate the fact that I’m a part of their life through my movies, my photo features and my interviews.
At the risk of sounding vain let me say that they absolutely love the fact that I’ve happened to their lives. And I’m not there as just an invisible entity. I’m very much a part of their family. They find solace in me, as I find love in them. My fans and I validate each other’s existence.
When people are troubled they indulge in all kinds of vices, like drinking or having an illicit affair. I just turn to my fans who share an unconditional love with me. I’ve never got negative vibes from anyone. If this isn’t a blessing, what is?
Q: Why do you think of yourself as a loner?
A: It’s a word. It means I spend most my time on my own. Going by my nature, it’s the most comfortable situation to be in. My god! Think of all the time I get to reason out things, not analyse situations, that’s such a waste of time. But you’ve to analyse things. And I never consciously created that time. It was bestowed on me.
I never thought I’d be home alone, with all my sisters married and gone. I never thought I’d not have my own family, my own children.
Q: Do you miss children?
A: Not any more. I do not miss children. Even if I find the ultimate man to have babies with, it’d be very unfair to my priorities. Because if I have a baby, I won’t be able to focus on anything else. Then what happens to the babies all over the world with whom I’m connected?
If you have the power to be Rekha then you better be prepared to reach out to anyone who wants to reach out to you.
Q: What about a man?
A: If I had a man, I’d just be devoting all my attention to that one person. I’m an extremely uni-focus person. I’ll take out his clothes, personally monitor his menu, prepare the lunch and personally deliver it to him.
I don’t think I am capable of enjoying the best of both worlds. I can’t deprive the other world of fans and admirers just for that narrow world of a family. May be I’m being unreal and impractical. But I’m not in denial. If I find someone who’s willing to share me with my fans, I might change my mind.
Q: Aging, illness, loss of beauty - have these questions begun to bother you?
A: If I let these thoughts affect me, I wouldn’t be able to be creative. I’m petrified of falling ill and going to the hospital. However, disasters are a part and parcel of life. I cannot avoid them. But when a catastrophe happens, I’d like to see it as a signal to go into another phase of my life. So, in a silly masochistic way, I welcome pain because it will help me grow.
Q: Don’t you crave to do normal things like giggling with your friends?
A: Oh god! My life is so much more fun than doing the normal things. My definition of fun is very different. I don’t think anyone else can share my idea of fun. I stopped celebrating my birthday with a cake in 1974. Even before that I used to hate it. As a kid I hated birthday parties. I’m not too comfortable in crowds.
Q: So many of the actresses today idolise your looks, makeup and clothes.
A: I hope all of them do. The beauty of it is, I don’t have to spend hours planning and executing my clothes and makeup. I’ve done it for 40-odd years. It’s like cooking and swimming. Dressing up is second nature to me. I can’t bring myself to spend more than 15 minutes on makeup and clothes.