Rekha is one of the few Indian actresses you can count on to be effortlessly stunning.

But when she came to the International Film Festival Institute to pay tribute to her late father, the legendary Gemini Ganesan, the actress didn't utter a word.

Her face looked uncharacteristically pale, and IFFI Director Afzal Amanullah said he himself didn't get to meet her. "She is not feeling very well, from what I have heard," he explained to the media on Friday.

Full Coverage: IFFI 2005

The homage to Gemini Ganesan included a screening of Parthiban Kanavu, directed by Yoganand. Rekha's [Images] half-sister Dr Kamala Selvaraj was also present.

The heroine has kept a very low profile, probably due to the fact that the media is trying hard to get her to speak about Amitabh Bachchan's [Images] condition.

These are times when even the most iconic diva deserves to be left alone.

Photograph: PIB