Rekha turns back time with a mesmerising performance at IIFA Awards

There are few actresses who embody the term 'eternal' like Rekha. While the veteran actress has taken a hiatus from the big screen, she continues to be a regular presence at award shows. But Rekha truly turned back the clock with her performance at the IIFA Awards 2018 in Bangkok. The actress received a standing ovation for her performance at the Siam Niramit stadium. 

Dressed in a soft pink anarkali and decked in jewels, though the 63-year-old actress does not have the same energy as in her prime, the actress has certainly not lost any of her grace. From the graceful movements to the perfect expressions, Rekha managed to entrance the entire gathering. 

Her performance was the highlight of the evening since it was the first time in 20 years that Rekha has taken to stage to perform. It is no surprise that the veteran's songs of choice were the iconic 'Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya' track from Mughal-E-Azam (1960), 'Salaam-E-Ishq' song from Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978) as well as the 'Dil Cheez Kya Hai' song from Umrao Jaan (1981). The actress's dance and expression were the key reasons for her Best Actress National award for Umrao Jaan. 

Rekha performed on stage for a total of 20 minutes, at the end of which she received a standing ovation from the crowd. She was joined by Varun Dhawan, Kartik Aaryan, Arjun Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor for an encore of 'Salaam E Ishq' before she took the applause for her performance. 

Shraddha Kapoor spared no time in clicking a picture with the veteran, and sharing it on her Instagram page. She wrote, "I have just watched the best performance of my life & possibly the best one I will ever see. When a shooting star decides to come down to earth & the entire audience is awestruck by her performance. Rekhaji, there are no words to describe how lucky we all are that we got to experience your magic right before our eyes. You all are in for the treat of a lifetime." 

Rekha also presented the award for Best Supporting Actor - Male to Nawazuddin Siddiqui for Mom (2017). 

While she has always been popular, the performance only seems to prove her standing as the 'evergreen' diva of Hindi cinema.