Red Sea International Film Festival honours Bollywood actress Rekha
text_fields
Actress Rekha greets fans on the Red Carpet at the Red Sea International Film Festival
Jeddah: Rekha, celebrated as an evergreen icon of Indian cinema, drew significant attention at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah. The festival presented her with a special honor in recognition of her enduring contributions to Indian film.
Actress Rekha and Umrao Jaan director Muzaffar Ali at the festival.
Rekha was publicly felicitated during the special screening of the newly restored 1981 classic Umrao Jaan, the film that cemented her place as one of Indian cinema’s most memorable performers. Red Sea International Film Festival CEO Faisal Baltyour presented her with a commemorative plaque.
Addressing the audience, Rekha delivered an emotional speech, expressing joy that her iconic film was being showcased once again at an international festival. She said cinema has shaped her entire life and urged younger generations to take the art form seriously. She added that living life well leads everything else to follow naturally.
Umrao Jaan earned Rekha the National Film Award in India, and remains one of her most defining roles. The film was screened Sunday night on the Big Screen at the Cultural Square section of the festival. Jeddah’s Consul General of India, Fahad Ahmed Khan Suri, Press Consul Muhammad Hashim, officials and guests from both India and Saudi Arabia attended. This marked the film’s first screening outside India. It was featured under the festival’s “Treasures” category, dedicated to classic international and Arab cinema.
Before the ceremony, Rekha greeted fans and posed for photographs on the festival’s red carpet. She appeared in a white and gold silk saree, adorned with traditional jewelry, pearls and her signature bun finished with a gold brooch.