As he brings out, it entailed for her a childhood overshadowed by the absence of a father - and cut short by the need to support her family by plunging into films, where her first few forays were less than a pleasant experience. Then there were gibes aplenty on her 'otherness' (which perhaps explains her penchant for playing the other woman, or a courtesan, in some of her most renowned roles), a reputation for unreliability, a string of failed romances and so on.

Even when she transformed into a more polished and professional performer, there was her figuring in Bollywood's biggest item of gossip, and finally, her less than happy marriage which ended in a tragedy, all of which Mr Usman deals with even-handedly, to her triumphant return to become an abiding legend.

Mr Usman, who confesses he was never a big fan of Rekha since she was far from her peak when he grew up, constructs his account through conversations with those who have worked with her, and plumbing through all her old interviews as well as quite a few relating to her. His attempt to interview Rekha personally didn't fructify despite a "nice chat" with her secretary Farzana, who heard him out patiently and promised to get back - but never did.

It is not the first biography (Mr Usman cites one 1999 work) and most of the material comes from already published/telecast sources and would be familiar to anyone who has been following Rekha, but the author not only collates it into a seamless whole but manages to break some new ground by seeking views of those behind some of her finest performances - Gulzar (Khoobsurat, Ghar and Ijazat), Shyam Benegal (Kalyug) and Muzaffar Ali (Umrao Jaan).