This actress won a National Award for her second movie, became a star overnight, but later quit films.
Many actresses like Sridevi, Rekha, and others tasted success at a young age and then went on to rule Bollywood. However, there is one actress, who did become a star at 19, but is now away from the glamour world and is living in poverty.
The actress we are talking about won a National Award for her second film and played the role of a prostitute at the age of 19 and with this, she had the world at her feet. However, after this, her career took a different turn. She is none other than Rehana Sultan.
Rehana Sultan became the first graduate of the prestigious Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) to bag a lead role in a Bollywood film. Though she made her debut with a sexy role in Vishwanath Ayengar's diploma film Shadi Ki Pehli Salgirah, she got her break with the feature film in Rajinder Singh Bedi's Dastak.
She then went on to star in Chetna which was shot in 28 days along with the shooting of Dastak. That film was about the rehabilitation of prostitutes, and her role changed the portrayal of sex workers in Hindi cinema. This film made Rehana a star and also won her a National Award for Best Actress. However, there was substantial controversy over the film’s provocative poster and this role got her typecast in the industry, thus limiting her choices in feature films.
Despite the success of her first two films, Rehana failed to get good roles. She was majorly offered only bold roles that required her to shoot sex scenes and thus, she declined most of these offers and chose to do smaller, supporting roles instead. Some of her Haar Jeet, Prem Parbat, and the political satire Kissa Kursi Ka and Vijay Anand's Hum Rahen Na Rahen.
After Vijay Anand's Hum Rahen Na Rahen, the actress then went away from the limelight. She married writer-director B. R. Ishara, who had directed Chetna. Though Ishara kept making films, Rehana went away from the limelight to only make a comeback with the film Sooraj Mukhi which failed to impress the audience. Director Ishara passed away in 2012 and later in 2018, it was reported that Rehana was living in poverty and the Cine & TV Artistes Association (CINTAA) reportedly even gave her financial assistance.
The DNA app is now available for download on the Google Play Store. Please download the app and share your feedback with us.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Rehana Sultan (Image: Screengrab)")
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}