Sharmila Tagore recalled being attacked with mud by a mob, who threatened to burn her during the early years of her acting.
Sharmila Tagore is one of the most famous actresses of her time. And with her beauty, and charisma, she continues to touch hearts. For Sharmila, one thing was clear she never wanted to live her life according to others, but rather, she wanted to carve her own road. Recently, Sharmila talked about the initial phase of her career, wherein she was mobbed, and they threatened to burn the train on which she was travelling.
In the '70s and '80s, it wasn't easy to be an actress, especially if you were wearing bold clothes. People would look down upon you and even question your upbringing. Despite facing such societal pressures, Sharmila Tagore was the first Indian actress to shoot in a bikini. Not only this, she even continued working after delivering her first child, Saif Ali Khan.
In an interview with The Indian Express, Sharmila Tagore recalled her early challenges of being a woman in the film industry. She shared that the profession wasn't looked at nicely. She revealed that male actors were loved, but women were disrespected and excluded from society due to its judgemental nature.
Sharmila shared an incident from her early days in the industry, wherein she faced hostility from a mob. She was surrounded by thoughts of people, who threatened to set the train on fire. She was trapped on the train for many hours. And finally, she was able to step out, they attacked her with mud. She said:
"They threw mud at us or whatever they did and then we were allowed to leave."
Further, Sharmila opened upon her different lifestyle in the film industry, which made people think differently about her. Unlike others, Sharmila lived alone and would often drink, and dressed as she loved, made people think that she was a bad girl. However, she never bothered as her conscious was clear and her family supported her. She said:
"I was different, so I was the 'bad girl'."
In an interview with Twinkle Khanna for her show, Tweak India, Sharmila Tagore opened up about her bikini pictures for the 1960s film, An Evening In Paris. She recalled her husband, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi's reaction. She added that wearing the bikini was entirely her choice, and added that her husband was in London when her pictures came out.
Sharmila revealed in times when telegrams were the primary means of communication, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi had sent her a reassuring message that stated she looked beautiful and need not worry. She called his voice supportive. During the same conversation, Sharmila added that her radical decision gave her a lesson on how one should be aware of the audience and society they live in before opting for an impulsive choice.
What do you think about Sharmila Tagore's shocking incident?
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