Iconic diva Rekha becomes Super Nani

Here's hoping Rekha shows more panache in Super Nani than she has in its first trailer, writes Raja Sen.

Ah, Rekha.

There’s nobody quite like her, the industry’s most iconic diva and the kohl-eyed superstar, who has outlasted every single one of her contemporaries.

Unable to shake off Bollywood’s gender-unfairness, Madame R has been consigned to grandmotherly roles these days, but she kicks things up a notch with Super Nani.

Nope, she’s not playing granny to a superhero, but instead -- in Indra Kumar’s latest film -- the actress is playing an old neglected grandmother, younging herself up for a new innings in life, one as a glamorous star.

Rekha playing an old woman playing someone who does their own makeup in order to be considered highly glam? It’s so meta the head hurts.

The only fun thing about the loud, hammy trailer seems to be Randhir Kapoor -- he’s as loud and hammy, but we haven’t seen him in awhile, and it’s nice to see him do that vintage clown-face.

Nobody expects subtlety from Indra Kumar -- the maker of Grand Masti, Pyare Mohan, Mann and Raja -- but for a film to take a risk with an older actress as a grandmother, one would have hoped for at least a bolder script, instead of jokes that creak under their own weight.

Super Nani hits theatres October 24.

Here’s hoping Rekha shows more panache in the film than she has in this first trailer.