How Is Sharmila Tagore Related to Rabindranath Tagore? Soha Ali Khan Reveals Family Connection

Mumbai: Sharmila Tagore, one of Bollywood's most renowned actresses, is descended from a family deeply rooted in Indian history. Sharmila is the daughter of the Tagore family and the daughter-in-law of the Pataudi family. She married former cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi in 1968. Her surname has often been a topic of discussion. Now, Sharmila's daughter, Soha Ali Khan, has revealed how she was connected to the Tagore family, especially the legendary Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

What was Sharmila's relationship with Rabindranath Tagore?

During a podcast conversation, Soha Ali Khan shared about the relationship between Sharmila and Rabindranath Tagore, stating that, "Rabindranath Tagore had, I think, about 14 siblings. And Gaganendranath Tagore, who was a painter and brought Cubism to India, was actually Amma's great-grandfather."

Further sharing about the bond, Soha said that, "So, Rabindranath Tagore was her great-granduncle. "He was very close to my grandmother and both my grandmother and my grandfather, my mother's parents. But my grandmother was very close to him. And they spent time together in Shantiniketan."

Recalling about the memories from the past, Soha, who is the daughter of late cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and actor Sharmila Tagore and married Kunal Khemu on January 25, 2015, said that "And we have some photographs of them together. And he wrote two poems for her, for Ira, my grandmother. And then signed something, which my grandfather then threw away. And my grandmother was very upset with him for a very long time."

Who was Rabindranath Tagore?

Rabindranath Tagore was born on May 7, 1861, according to the Gregorian calendar. He was born in Kolkata to Debendranath Tagore and Sarada Devi. However, the legendary poet-writer's birth anniversary is celebrated on the 25th of Baisakhi according to the Bengali calendar, not the Gregorian calendar. The date of Rabindranath Tagore's birth anniversary changes each year. This year, his birth anniversary was celebrated on Saturday

Rabindranath Tagore was the first Asian to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. He received this honor in 1913 for his collection of poems, 'Gitanjali'. He also wrote India's national anthem, "Jana Gana Mana," which is still sung by all. In addition to literature, he also made significant contributions to music, art, and education. His songs, poems, and plays have influenced generations.

How was Sharmila's career in Bollywood?

Sharmila Tagore was born on December 8, 1944, to Ira Tagore and Gitindranath Tagore. She made her acting debut in 1959 with the Bengali film 'Apur Sansar'. After working in Bengali cinema for a few years, she entered Bollywood with the film 'Kashmir Ki Kali'. Her pairing with Shammi Kapoor was a hit. She subsequently appeared in films such as "Anupama," "Yeh Raat Phir Na Aayegi," "Amar Prem," "An Evening in Paris," "Aradhana," and "Chhoti Bahu," among others. From the 1960s to the 1980s, Sharmila was considered one of Bollywood's top actresses.