Umrao Jaan (1981)

Umrao Jaan was Rekha's crowning glory. A classic, this film is one of Rekha's best performances till date. Asha Bhosle's melodius voice further helped her range of emotions.

Muzaffar Ali's Umrao Jaan was an opulent drama of a 19th century courtesan. Abducted as a child and sold in Lucknow, Umrao Jaan (Rekha) flits from Farooque Shaikh, Naseeruddin Shah and Raj Babbar in search of happiness. Rekha captured every nuance of a courtesan's life with her fine expressions, mysterious smile and sensuality.

At the start of her career, Rekha knew very little Hindi. But not only did she work hard and learn the language, she also learnt the finer nuances of Urdu.