Sara Ali Khan and Sharmila Tagore have more in common than you might anticipate for a grandmother and granddaughter.
The two women engaged in some lighthearted banter in a special promotional photo for their respective movies, Sharmila’s Gulmohar and Sara’s Gaslight. The question about love turned out to be the most enjoyable of the few that were asked of both. The question of the crazy things Sara and Sharmila have done for love was posed to them. I am so preoccupied with the crazy and stupid part that I don’t reach the love part, Sara sprang to mind when the question was asked. I believe that to be the case, and it is very sad.
You can’t tell everyone that, Sharmila, or her badi amma as Sara affectionately refers to her, interjected. And Sara responded in typical unfiltered fashion, “They all know. There is no love because of the crazy and stupid things I say. But you cherish me, Badi Mama. In response, Sharmila said, “I’m going to cry.” Sara responded by taking things a little more seriously and saying, “That’s the real truth about me. I’ve never gotten to the part about love. Though it will. Sharmila declared, “It will happen,” after blessing the idea. Sara’s grandmother Sharmila replied, “You promise?” with a nuanced pearl of wisdom, “Unfortunately you can’t get out of it, you have to suffer from your heart.”
Then it was Sharmila’s turn to tell her tale. Additionally, it had to do with her husband Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, also known as Tiger by family and friends. “Once very long ago, much before your time,” Sharmila said to Sara, “I was filming in Panvel. We disassembled for some technical reason. And the first thing that came to mind was that Rajsinghji and Tigerji were traveling to Danta, a city in Gujarat. My first thought was to go there and bid him farewell. We would travel as quickly as an ambassador could on those roads. We were moving very quickly, so I removed my long wig and makeup. Tiger and Rajsinghji were leaving at the same time as me. We really rushed and I took my makeup off and my long wig off. When I was getting off, Tiger and Rajsinghji were also getting off. So I said, ‘Hi! I’ve come to say bye to you.’ And then Tiger said, ‘Well why don’t you come with us?’ I said, ‘Yeah, what a good idea. Why don’t I come with you?’. There was no toothbrush, no toothpaste, no clothes, no makeup, nothing. I just boarded the flight and we went to Danta and I had a blast. I wore, I think, Tiger’s shorts and someone’s shirt and we had so much fun. I had never done anything like that then and now I can’t even think of doing that. I think that was crazy.”
Needless to say even Sara was impressed by Sharmila’s crazy tryst with Tiger Pataudi and an adventurous trip.
