‘Sharmila Tagore guided us in Islam, we didn’t practice Hinduism,’ recalls daughter Saba

Saba Pataudi, daughter of film actress Sharmila Tagore and cricket player Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, recently shared details about her upbringing in an interfaith household. In a conversation with the YouTube channel Big Bollywood Buffs, Saba revealed that she was raised as a practicing Muslim due to her mother's conversion to Islam after marrying Mansoor.

Sharmila Tagore, who described herself as a religious person, guided her children in Islam to provide them with a sense of grounding and ensure they did not become confused about their faith.

Saba emphasized that her parents never imposed any religion on the three siblings, and the family never attended temples or practiced Hinduism. Instead, they celebrated various festivals from different religions, including Christmas, Diwali, and Holi. Saba also mentioned that both of her siblings, actors Saif Ali Khan and Soha Ali Khan, are in interfaith marriages, further highlighting the diverse religious backgrounds within their family.

In a previous chat, Sharmila Tagore discussed the challenges and difficulties of converting to Islam, stating that it was not easy nor was it very difficult. She also shared that her name Ayesha was suggested by her husband. Despite the threats they received when announcing their marriage, Sharmila remained steadfast in her decision to embrace Islam and raise their children with the faith their mother introduced them to.