Rekha's Bold Choice: Skipped Father's Funeral, Here's Why

• Rekha, born Bhanurekha Ganesan, was the "illegitimate" daughter of Gemini Ganesan and Pushpavalli, growing up without her father's presence.
• Forced into films at 14 due to her mother's debt, she faced hardships before achieving Bollywood stardom.
• Gemini Ganesan publicly acknowledged Rekha at her 1990 wedding and again at the 1994 Filmfare Awards.
• Despite public acknowledgment, their relationship remained distant, with Rekha stating she never knew what it meant to have a father at home.
• Rekha chose not to attend Gemini Ganesan's 2005 funeral, explaining he existed in her imagination, "more beautiful than reality."

Why It Matters: Rekha's complex relationship with her father, Gemini Ganesan, shaped her life and led to her unique decision.