A little over two months ago, Rekha, who has never appeared for a stage show in Dubai, made an exception by joining Asha to be part of a concert dedicated to the singing legend. The only reason she agreed was because she wanted it to be a tribute to the legendary songstress whose voice immortalised her character in the Muzaffar Ali directed 1981 classic Umrao Jaan. The late Farooq Shaikh (who played the male lead in Umrao Jaan) was also present as Asha reminisced 70 eventful years in the industry through her songs.
Over the weekend, the special bond between Rekha and Asha was evident again when they came together - this time without Farooq - for another musical evening at the Yashwant Rao Chavan Centre. The occasion was the 100th show of a popular Marathi dance show. It was a rare moment when Asha began singing the classic Dil cheez kya hai from Umrao Jaan, and to the utter delight of the packed house, Rekha responded with her signature steps from the film, something she's never done before for any public function. While a host of movers and shakers including Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, veteran choreographer Pt Birju Maharaj, Waheeda Rehman and Asha Parekh were also present, the evening without a doubt belonged entirely to the timeless diva.
