Sharmila Tagore, a legendary figure in Indian cinema, boasts a career spanning decades and a life filled with remarkable achievements. Her contributions to film and beyond have earned her national and international recognition.

Wiki/Biography

Born on December 8, 1944, in Hyderabad, Sharmila Tagore’s zodiac sign is Sagittarius. She spent her formative years partly in Kolkata. Her education included attending Loreto Convent, Asansol, and St. John’s Diocesan Girls’ Higher Secondary School, Kolkata. Academically, she wasn’t a top performer; her attendance was low, and she was even considered a bit of a disruptive influence on her classmates. A pivotal moment arrived at age 13 when a film offer presented her with a significant life choice. Her father wisely advised her to pursue her film career.

Physical Appearance

• Height (approx.): 5′ 4″
• Weight (approx.): 55 kg
• Hair Colour: Dark Brown
• Eye Colour: Dark Brown

Family, Caste & Husband

Born into a Brahmin family, Sharmila Tagore embraced Islam before marrying Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi. Her parents were Gitindranath Tagore and Ira Baruah. She has two sisters: Romila Sen (Chinky Tagore) and the late Oindrila Kunda (Tinku Tagore). Importantly, she is the great-granddaughter of the renowned poet Rabindranath Tagore.

Sharmila met her husband, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, at a post-match party in 1965. After a courtship, they married on December 27, 1969. He was the Nawab of Pataudi and a former captain of the Indian cricket team, passing away on September 22, 2011. Their children include Saif Ali Khan (an actor), Saba Ali Khan, and Soha Ali Khan (an actress). She’s also the mother-in-law of Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor and grandmother to Ibrahim Ali Khan, Sara Ali Khan, and Taimur Ali Khan. Kunal Khemu is another son-in-law.

Career

Sharmila Tagore’s acting journey began in 1959 with Satyajit Ray’s Bengali film “Apur Sansar.” Her Bollywood debut followed in 1964 with Shakti Samanta’s “Kashmir Ki Kali.” A notable moment came in 1967 with “An Evening in Paris,” where she famously wore a bikini, a bold move for the time, and also posed in a bikini for Filmfare magazine in 1968.

She achieved numerous successes opposite Rajesh Khanna (7 commercial hits including “Aradhana,” “Safar,” “Amar Prem,” “Chhoti Bahu,” “Daag,” “Raja Rani,” and “Avishkaar”) and Dharmendra (box office hits like “Devar,” “Anupama,” “Mere Hamdam Mere Dost,” “Satyakam,” “Yakeen,” “Chupke Chupke,” “Ek Mahal Ho Sapno Ka,” and “Sunny”). During the 1970s, she was among Bollywood’s highest-paid actresses.

Beyond acting, Tagore served on the Indian Film Censor Board (October 2004 – March 2011), acted as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, and was a Jury Member at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. In 2017, she even walked the ramp as a showstopper for designer Rohini Gugnani at India Runway Week.

Awards

Sharmila Tagore’s accolades are numerous and reflect her significant contributions to the film industry and beyond.

Favourite Things

• Director: Satyajit Ray
• Actors: Sanjeev Kumar, Shashi Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra
• Singer: Begum Akhtar
• Destinations: France, South Africa
• Food: Bengali Cuisine
• Restaurant: Bukhara in Delhi

Facts

Her hobbies include shopping, gardening, reading, and listening to music. Interestingly, her younger sister, Oindrila, was the first in the family to appear in a film, playing “Mini” in Tapan Sinha’s “Kabuliwala” (1957). Sharmila holds the distinction of being the first Indian actress to appear in a bikini onscreen (“An Evening in Paris,” 1967), solidifying her sex symbol status in Hindi cinema. Before marrying Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, she converted to Islam and used the name Begum Ayesha Sultana, though she and her family didn’t use it publicly. In a touching gesture, after her husband’s death, she requested the BCCI to name an upcoming India-England series the Pataudi Trophy.

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