Birth Name
Height
5' 2½" (1.59 m)Mini Biography
Rakhee was born in a Bengali-speaking family in West Bengal, on India's Independence Day - 15th August, 1947. She has no connections with anyone in the film industry in India.
She achieved phenomenal success at her very first movie in Bengali 'Bandhu Baran' during the year 1967. She was then noticed by noted Bollywood actor, Sunil Dutt, who recommended her for a lead role in 'Reshma Aur Shera'. But before the release of this movie, Rakhee had already appeared in 'Jeevan Mritya' and 'Sharmeelee' opposite Dharmendra and Shashi Kapoor respectively.The on-screen pair of Rakhee Gulzar-Shashi Kapoor was very popular with audience and they did 9 films together. Four were critically acclaimed but box office flops and five were box office super-hits.
She has acted in a total of approximately 91 movies, in a career that spanned from 1967 through to 2003. A total of four awards have been bestowed for her performances in 'Daag', 'Tapasya', 'Ram Lakhan', and 'Shubhu Muhurat'. She is perhaps the only actress who has acted both as a lead heroine and mother with Bollywood actor, Amitabh Bachchan.
During her teen years, Rakhee was married to Ajoy Biswas, but the marriage was short-lived, and the couple divorced.
Rakhee then got married to Music Director/Lyricist/Film Director, Sampoorna Singh Gulzar. They have a daughter named Megha alias Bosky. Rakhee quit acting in movies during the year 2003, and her last appearance was in 'Shubhu Muhurat'.
She achieved phenomenal success at her very first movie in Bengali 'Bandhu Baran' during the year 1967. She was then noticed by noted Bollywood actor, Sunil Dutt, who recommended her for a lead role in 'Reshma Aur Shera'. But before the release of this movie, Rakhee had already appeared in 'Jeevan Mritya' and 'Sharmeelee' opposite Dharmendra and Shashi Kapoor respectively.The on-screen pair of Rakhee Gulzar-Shashi Kapoor was very popular with audience and they did 9 films together. Four were critically acclaimed but box office flops and five were box office super-hits.
She has acted in a total of approximately 91 movies, in a career that spanned from 1967 through to 2003. A total of four awards have been bestowed for her performances in 'Daag', 'Tapasya', 'Ram Lakhan', and 'Shubhu Muhurat'. She is perhaps the only actress who has acted both as a lead heroine and mother with Bollywood actor, Amitabh Bachchan.
During her teen years, Rakhee was married to Ajoy Biswas, but the marriage was short-lived, and the couple divorced.
Rakhee then got married to Music Director/Lyricist/Film Director, Sampoorna Singh Gulzar. They have a daughter named Megha alias Bosky. Rakhee quit acting in movies during the year 2003, and her last appearance was in 'Shubhu Muhurat'.
Spouse
| Gulzar | (? - present) 1 child |
| Ajoy Biswas | (? - ?) (divorced) |
Trivia
Mother of Meghna Gulzar.
Born on Indian Independence Day.
Rakhee was the 2nd highest paid Hindi actress from 1970-1974, along with Asha Parekh, and continued to be the 2nd highest paid Hindi actress from 1975-1982. She shared the same tag with Reena Roy and Parveen Babi from 1975-1980.
The on-screen pair of Rakhee Gulzar-Shashi Kapoor did 10 films together. 4 were box office flops and 6 were box office super-hits.One more film Ek Do Teen Chaar is unreleased.
Rakhee worked with Rajesh Khanna in 3 films - Shehzada, Daag and Aanchal and all of them were super-hits.
Rakhee's films with Amitabh Bachchan included 5 hit films - Kabhie Kabhie (1976), Muqaddar Ka Sikander, Kasme Vaade, Trishul, Kaala Patthar - and 3 flops - Jurmana, Barsaat Ki Ek Raat, and Bemisal.
Her close friends were Sunil Dutt and Shashi Kapoor.
Rakhee dared to accept female oriented scripts where there was no big star-actor in the film at the peak of her career like the award winning 27 Down (1974), Tapasya (1975), Humkadam(1980), Shradhanjali (1982), Dil... Akhir Dil Hai (1982). All these film were critically acclaimed and of them Tapasya was major box-office success.
Rakhee automatically became the 2nd highest paid actress in Hindi Cinema when her first Hindi film Jeevan Mrityu became a hit.
She was paired opposite Dev Anand in 3 hit films Heera Panna, Banarasi Babu, Lootmaar and had one flop in Joshila.
Rakhee worked with Shashi Kapoor in 10 released films and the pair gave 6 hits - Sharmelee1971), Jaanwar Aur Insaan (1972), Kabhi Kabhie (1976), the critically acclaimed Trishna (1978), Baseraa (1981) and Pighalta Aasman (1985) and had 4 box-office flops - Bandhan Kuchchey Dhaagon Ka (1983), Bandh Honth (1984, Zameen Aasmaan (1984) and Doosara Aadmi (1977).Another film of the pair Ek Do Teen Char was shelved.
She did 2 films with Parikshit Sahani as lead hero - Tapasya and Humkadam both of which were critically acclaimed hits.
With Sanjeev Kumar she had 3 hits - Paras, Hamare Tumhare and Shrimaan Shrimaati.
Rakhee automatically became 2nd highest paid actress in Hindi Cinema when her first Hindi films Jeevan Mrityu became hit.
Rakhee said famously in an interview in 2012 that Rajesh Khanna brought good films into Indian Cienma and continued to propagate only good films from 60's to early 90's. But Amitabh Bachchan brought bad films after 1977 and Amitabh was not versatile actor right from 1970-2000 as he did only angry young man films and propagated violence from his films. Rakhee argued Amitabh was successful doing only angry young man films from 1975-1984 and after that even that failed. Rakhee was of opinion that Amitabh turned versatile only after 2002.
Rakhee's favorite co-stars are Shashi Kapoor and Rajesh Khanna and her favorite senior actors were Dev Anand, Ashok Kumar and Pran.
She regards Blackmail to be her best film though its was not a box-office success and she regards her best films were Sharmeelee, Kabhi Kabhie, Tapasya , Trishna, Aanchal, Humkadam, Baseraa, Shradhanjali, Dil... Akhir Dil Hai , Pighalta Aasman , Bengali film Paroma .
When she was shooting at the TOI building Satyan Bose slapped her when she didn't get a scene right in Jeevan Mrityu.
She refused to shoot a scene in Gulmarg because of a lump of poop was lying there. Hrishikesh Mukherjee himself picked it up and threw it away and then shooting resumed.
Gulzar and Rakhee were always in touch though they lived separately. Rakhee lived in her farmhouse near Panvel and Gulzar at his home in Bombay side.
Regarded Rajesh Khanna as the best actor and most versatile from among the crop of lead heroes who started working from 60's or 70's and said none of the actors who came after him were better. The next actor she placed in terms of versatility was Shashi Kapoor and Sanjeev Kumar,both who were seniors to Khanna.
She did not like any of the Hindi films being made after 1995 other-than the films she did herself and Aamir's films post 2000 Lagaan and Taren Zameen Par. She did not like any of Sharukh Khan's films after year 2000 or Aamir Khan's films from 1989-2000 other than Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander and Hum Hai Rahi Pyar Ke.
Rakhee shocked film industry when she decided to play Rajesh Khanna's sister-in-law who is accused of having affair with her bro-in-law played by Khanna in 1980 film Aanchal at the peak of her career as a heroine.
1971 was landmark year as Sharmeelee, Paras , Lal Patthar - all 3 films of Rakhee were major hits.
There was a film Ek Do Teen Chaar where Rakhee was paired with Shashi again but it never got released.
Rakhee's films with Amitabh Bachchan include 5 hit film Kabhie Kabhie (1976), Muqaddar Ka Sikander, Kasme Vaade, Trishul, Kaala Patthar and 3 flops - Jurmana, Barsaat Ki Ek Raat, and Bemisal.
Personal Quotes
Rajesh was the most versatile among heroes with whom I have worked. Rajesh was like one of the seven wonders for the industry. There was magic in his face and mannerisms. He was shy and conservative but misunderstood.He did not use any make up ever. Would anybody from the current crop of actors do a film like Bawarchi?