Soha Ali Khan sizzles more than mother Sharmila! Can she resist Bollywood...
Rani Deshmukh, Special Correspondent
December 14, 2004

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Soha Ali Khan the new star in Bollywood horizon, daughter of legendary Sharmila Tagore and Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, sister of Saif Ali Khan. She is ready to take on Bollywood ro climb the staircase of glory, fame and money.

"After all my mother made her presence felt in Benagli cinema before turning towards Hindi film industry," says Soha who was in New Delhi recently.

It's all about good scripts and roles that counts, language barrier does not make any difference for me, she says.

She is adamant about not exposing herself without clothes before the camera. But Bollywood is strangely Bollywood. Dimple Kapadia once was more adamant about her not exposing. She was the first to create the topless scene in Hindi movies. Interestingly, once an actress openly talks about not taking clothes off, Bollywood by tradition goes after her. 

But then she is Sharmila's daughter and interestingly Sharmila is leads the censor board.

When Soha Ali Khan lights up the marquee, her mother's famed dimples et al, the world will inevitably watch out for the Tagore talent to unfold. And should Sharmila's legacy to Soha include some of that legendary screen sparkle, then Soha's got little to worry about. Soha's just starting out on the road her mother has made her own. 

Standing tall at 60, Sharmila still has that arresting charm that had the heroes of the sixties and seventies in a tizzy. And for those wondering about Sharmila's youthful look, she offers, "I feel youthful because I'm curious about a lot of things. Also, a little bit of exercise and watching what you eat." 

ROLE MODEL 

Sharmila Tagore : I would like her to do something different from what I have done. Times and interpretation of life has changed and hopefully she will do more emancipated roles. 

Soha Ali Khan : I'd like to do many roles that my mother has done. Like Aradhana, Amar Prem, Mausam ... I want the opportunities to work with those kinds of directors. 

BANKING TO ACTING 

Sharmila : Her decision to quit did surprise us initially, but we accepted it. The idea of educating them and giving them that kind of independence is to give them the ability to choose what they want to do. 

Soha : I always wanted to act but I kind of rebelled against it. I thought since my brother was doing this, I should do something different. I learnt a lot, but I did not feel completely fulfilled there. I'm feeling creatively fulfilled now. 

PERFORMING TIPS 

Sharmila : Everybody has a kind of spontaneity and one shouldn't cramp that, but if there is something terribly obvious like the way she walks or the way she holds her shoulders, I tell her. But you can't really say ''be languid'' or ''be like a flower''. The director is the boss on the sets. 

Soha : I have taken a lot of tips from my brother when it comes to choosing films. Amma helps a lot when it comes to diction and language. I have done two Bengali films and I spent a lot of time with her. She also helps me to control certain expressions.