Rekha honoured at Red Sea Festival, recites iconic ‘Umrao Jaan’ shayari

Veteran Bollywood star Rekha was honoured with the Red Sea Honouree Award at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, where a restored version of her 1981 classic "Umrao Jaan" was screened. The actor captivated the audience by reciting shayari in the style of her iconic character, evoking memories of the beloved film.

Taking to the stage, Rekha quoted lines from "Dil Cheez Kya Hai", telling a fan, "Is anjuman mein aapko aana hai baar baar… deewar-o-dar ko gaur se pehchaan lijiye" (You will have to come to this gathering again and again… so take a good look and familiarize yourself with every wall and every door). She added that she meant every word, encouraging audiences to return to the world of cinema again and again.

Urging viewers to embrace films as a source of solace, Rekha said, "Come to see films every single day. That's the only soothing factor. There's no potion, no healing material better than films. I am a living example. I am alive because of films."

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Reflecting on her craft, the actor admitted she has never been much of a talker. "Even in Umrao Jaan, the dialogues conveyed only half of what my eyes could express. Muzaffar Saab is right — one look is enough."

She also paid tribute to her mother, Pushpavalli, saying, "My mother always told me you don't talk about your achievements. You don't teach people by telling them what to do — you live by example."

Based on Mirza Hadi Ruswa's 1899 novel Umrao Jaan Ada, "Umrao Jaan" traces the life of a Lucknow courtesan and poet. The film remains one of Rekha's most acclaimed performances and earned her a National Award.