Rekha is one superstar of Bollywood who started her career in South cinema and then forayed into Hindi films and became successful. Many are unaware that Rekha’s mother was also an actress who, at the peak of her career, fell in love with a twice-married South superstar but never got the status of being his wife. She remained his girlfriend and also became the mother of his two daughters. 

Rekha’s mother was South actress Pushpavalli who was seen in both Tamil and Telugu films. Pushpavalli became an overnight sensation after playing the role of Sita in ‘Sampoorna Ramayanam’. The film was released in 1936 Pushpavalli received Rs 300 as a fee for playing the role. 
Pushpavalli’s biggest success came when the Telugu film ‘Bala Nagamma’ (1942) was released in which she played a supporting role. While Rekha’s mother had a successful film career, she was always more in the news for her personal life. 

Pushpavalli got married in 1940 but in 1946, six years after her wedding, she separated from her husband. She then met new actor Gemini Ganesan on the sets of ‘Miss Malini’ and fell in love with him. They began a relationship despite being married to other people. 

Gemini Ganesan never gave Pushpavalli the status of being his wife and Rekha’s mother spent her entire life as his girlfriend. They had two daughters. One is Rekha and the other is Radha who worked in several Tamil films before getting married and moving to the US. 

Rekha’s mother Pushpavalli passed away in the year 1991 but she always dreamed of Rekha becoming an actress. Rekha made her debut with the Telugu film ‘Rangula Ratnam’ when she was only 12 years old. At the age of 15, she worked in her first Bollywood film ‘Do Shikaari‘.

Like Pushpavalli, Rekha also grabbed headlines for her personal life which was full of turmoil. The first marriage of both of them was unsuccessful. However, as far as her career goes, Rekha fulfilled her mother’s dream. She became a much bigger film star than her mother ever was. Rekha is the epitome of beauty and grace, but even at the age of 69, she lives alone.

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