There Are Strong Similarities Between Rekha And Kangana: Biographer Yasser

He has done it, and can you believe it that he didn't even get her nod of consent before he inked pages on her life? Television producer and journalist Yasser Usman is still a happy man; his book on Rekha, Rekha The Untold Story, has become the talk of town. FYI: In a riveting biography in 2014, he had examined Rajesh Khanna's dramatic, colourful life. 


Image Source: twitter/yasser_aks

In a long conversation from Delhi with SpotboyE.com, Yasser spilled the beans on the book and all that went behind it to make it happen.

Excerpts:

You are in the news daily since at least a week...
I am glad that people are talking about Rekha again and my book.

Why was it so difficult taking permission from Rekha? 
I just couldn't. I wanted to meet her. I tried calling her many times--- but every time my call landed up on an answering machine. I left several messages, but got no reply. Then I somehow got in touch with her secretary Farzana, who called back to say that they were open to the idea of a book on Rekha and would once again get back to me--- but that never happened.

And then?
I needed Rekha's voice in the book, so I was driven to hunt it in the archives. I had no option but to lift her statements related to her life and then put them in places wherever they're required. I wish Rekha had spoken to me, the book would then have got a different dimension altogether.

Weren't you a bit scared that you set out to write a celebrity's life without her nod of consent?
The aim was never to create sensationalism, but to only give a very balanced account of Rekha's life. So, why should I be scared? I was out to write film history, but it just happened that the subject was out of bounds. So what's wrong if I wrote a book on her without meeting her? It wasn't that I didn't try to meet her.


Image Source: Manav Manglani

And then you wrote about Amitabh Bachchan...
(Interrupts) Amitabh has always denied his alleged association with Rekha on record, saying he has nothing to do with her in personal capacity. And there is no reason to challenge that (pauses).

Go on...
I thought it was pure gossip. However, when I looked into the archives I found that Rekha had spoken about Amitabh and it's in public domain--- and there is no way to find out if she is speaking the truth. So I have taken both the versions/sides and left it for the reader to interpret. The book is largely a compilation of quotes, reports and interviews.

What do you think of Rekha as a person?
I think she is an extremely bold woman. She came to the Mumbai film industry without knowing Hindi and went through hell before she became what she became. She was mocked upon for her dark complexion! She went through a string of relationships. She surely didn't lead an easy life.

And imagine! The same girl went on to do Umrao Jaan and even win a National Award for it. Isn't that creditable? Coming back to Rekha being bold, so what if she was bold? I think Bollywood, or for that matter, even we were not ready to hear candid statements from anybody in those times. Plus, I think Rekha made those bold statements to publicise herself; she was in show business after all.


Image Source: junglekey

You said somewhere that Kangana is the modern Rekha, or something to that effect. What is the connection? Can you elaborate?
A journalist asked me about Rekha's boldness and I told him that you won't see much like that in today's times. Today, stars are surrounded by PRs and managers and they instruct them what to speak and what to not speak. But there are still a few bold actors like Kangana for one, and don't we have stories which talk negatively about her? Nothing major has changed, we are a sexist society (pauses). 

Go on...
So yeah I drew a parallel between Rekha and Kangana, maybe not exactly though.

Is Kangana the modern-day Rekha?
We will have to wait and watch. Kangana is still only a few years old in the industry. I had met her once and she told me that she has decided not to run around trees in films. She refused Sultan because she knew the focus in Sultan will be on Salman. Isn't she being brave? She is different, and not following what the others are doing. There are strong similarities between Rekha and Kangana no doubt.

Hrithik came out to say that he and Kangana were never close, but Kangana has still maintained a silence on that controversy...
A lot was written about them and I wouldn't know what's the truth. But I hope that Kangana comes out one day and talks about it. I think there must be some pressure on her, which is why she has still kept quiet.


Image Source: curioushalt

Who helped you to know more about Rekha than just the items in newspapers and magazines? 
Many people, but I cherished talking to some of them.

Like who?
Shyam Benegal spoke at length about her. Gulzar spoke very fondly about her, Muzzaffar Ali said that her eyes spell that she is a survivor and Khalid Mohammed (SpotboyE.com's film critic) who had interviewed Rekha in the past told me quite a few things about her.

Moving on to you writing in the book about Shashi Kapoor's dig at Rekha...
As I said, it was a sexist industry in those times. But I wouldn't say that Shashi took a dig at Rekha. He just exclaimed surprise that she had made it in Bollywood despite the dark color of her skin. Think of it, she was referred to as 'kaali kaluti' and 'namuna' by many including Navin Nischol. But his wife Jennnifer had cut Shashi short and told him that he will be proved wrong. The rest, as they say, is history.


Image Source: tamiltv

Buzz was, Rekha  got up close and personal with Navin Nischol...
I don't know about that. I think they were just close friends. There were stories about her with a few others too, but when it came to the men in her life, I restricted myself to only those which had Rekha on record. I didn't latch on to unconfirmed and loose rumours. Like I didn't know about she and Jetendra being together but I learnt about it only when I read her statement about Jetendra in print. I hope I get to meet her one day and then I can perhaps include more chapters in my book or I would write a separate piece.

How long did it take you to write this book?
It took me more than a year. A lot of matter had to be dug out.

Publishers tend to interfere with writers. Did it happen with you? 
I am thankful to Juggernaut  and Chiki Sarkar. Chiki just told me to attribute all the matter properly since some of the people I have mentioned in the book- Vinod Mehra, for one- are no more. I didn't meet with any interference whatsoever.

Have Gulzar & Co got back to you after the book hit the stands?
Early days yet, but I am open to any type of reaction. I am hopeful that they all will like it.  All I want to say is  that my book is not just about Rekha's relationships. Here's a story of a gutsy woman, which was waiting to be told--- and I went ahead.