Sharmila Tagore: I wasn’t there as much for Saif as I was for Soha and Saba

Stuti Srivastava | May 16, 2017, 11:03 IST
Sharmila Tagore is elated as her son Saif Ali Khan and bahu Kareena Kapoor Khan were are blessed with a baby boy Taimur Ali Khan last year, and now her daughter Soha Ali Khan and son-in-law Kunal Kemmu are expecting their first child.

In an interview with a leading daily, the yesteryear actress spoke about becoming a daadi next year and a nani this year. Talking if it is different, she said,"I don’t think there’s any difference as such in the family, but yes, it is a bit, as it’s my daughter now, who is giving birth. Kareena’s mum was more anxious when she was expecting as I am today when Soha is. It’s the mother-daughter bond. I think it’s quite a big decision for women to have children. In our time, I don’t think we thought so much about it. We just went and had them and of course, life is not fun-filled and not complete if you don’t have them. It’s a wonderful thing when you think about it. I felt so much closer to my mother after I had babies. It bonds a mother and daughter more."

When asked if she advises Soha on pregnancy, Sharmila Tagore added, "Of course I do, as all mothers would. Like my mother used to do when I was carrying Saif. I remember when Saif was a baby, the paediatrician had recommended that we give him orange juice to drink, but my mother said he was too small to be able to digest it and that I should dilute it with some water. I didn’t listen and Saif had a tummy-ache. I guess mothers do sometimes know best and it’s also the experience that counts. Yes, Soha does call me to ask for advice on what to do and I do advise her, but I also tell her to follow it up only after checking with the physician."

Recalling the time when Sharmila Tagore herself for pregnant, the actress said, "I wasn’t there as much for Saif as I was for Soha and Saba as I wasn’t working so much then. I was very busy during Saif’s time and when he was growing up. I was doing double shifts, but I did have the support of my husband and also my neighbour Sunita Goswami, who also happened to be teaching at Saif’s Bohri-run school Saifee Mahal, which was a wonderful school run by Mrs Noorani. She was Saif’s second mother and she and her husband Jatin looked after him a lot. I was there for all his milestones, but I really wasn’t there for his day-to-day work."

Talking about which of her child among Saif, Soha and Saha share her traits, Sharmila Tagore added, "I think Saif does, Soha is more like her dad Tiger and Saba is a mixture of both of us. Saif and I are a little bit more impulsive and less practical. He likes his freedom. As a child, he was more mischievous, Soha was more studious and practical, while Saba is the most creative one."



Credits: The DNA
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