The woman you see amidst all the men is Rekha. Believe it or not, way back in 1975, the diva did sport a double chin and chubby cheeks. The picture captured by lensman Jagdish Aurangabadkar at a charity premiere of Dharam Karam in Alankar on December 1975, brings back memories of the early days of the actress who went on to become Bollywood’s top leading actress.
In serious danger of getting hit by Rekha’s waving arm is Rahul Dev Burman, the music composer for this Raj Kapoor, Randhir and Rekha starrer. Right in front of the musician and covering most of him in the process, is the original Hanuman of India, Dara Singh displaying his pearlies.
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On Rekha’s left stands the leading man Randhir Kapoor who also happened to be the director of this film happy in his thin moustache and floral tie. Daddy Raj stands in the middle, his positioning in the picture giving away his powerful position in real life Bollywood.
Eyes, however, gets drawn automatically to Rekha who played the role of Basanti in the film. The actress seems to have mastered this art of being the centre of attention long before her Silsila days. This picture not only reminds you of the thick black spectacle frames when they were in vogue but also of the Rekha that was before she became Yash Chopra’s Chandni in Silsila.