If Vidya Balan's saree-clad traditional look is reminiscent of the evergreen Rekha, the similarity is meant to be. The actress says she has always been inspired by Rekha, be it her looks, her attitude or her body of work. Vidya has been following a path less travelled. After all she has been modelling her career on a certain diva and she openly admits to it. "I take it as a huge compliment... I have grown up watching her," Vidya said recently answering a question on Rekha being her inspiration.

Her unabashed admission to this fact makes people wonder how true it really is. Are there actually a lot of similarities between the two powerhouses? While Rekha is a woman with many faces, many roles and many lives, Vidya proved to be a dark horse, an almost ugly duckling who metamorphosed into a sizzling hot actress who has no qualms about admitting that she was no demure dame lost in woods but a woman with womanly curves.

"I am comfortable with my body," Vidya said. Both Rekha and Vidya were gawky and voluptuous when they started out, Rekha in her film Sawan Bhadon and Vidya in Hum Paanch (a TV comedy serial). Both have transformed into what they are today. Another similarity between the southern sirens is the fact that the two do not bat an eyelid about displaying their sexuality for a role. The fact that Rekha was Vidya's co-star in the latter's first film Parineeta was probably a sign of things to come.

They both have an extremely personal individualistic style sense as both of them love their Kanjivaram sarees and look fabulous in them. Both the actresses do not mind changing their look to suit a character. Rekha's burnt face from Khoon Bhari Mang and Vidya's prosthetic tummy in Kahaani were bold choices which the two took.

Both divas are extremely quiet about their personal lives which in its own way create a mystery around these women. Rekha and Vidya are powerful women who have not bowed down to society. Today, Vidya is secure enough to wade on uncharted choppy roles like that of Silk in The Dirty Picture. And then she transforms completely into the character of Vidya Bagchi in Kahaani. With more such women dominated roles in Vidya's kitty, she sure is following in beautifully in Rekha's footsteps!