Sharmila Tagore balanced a thriving acting career with family life in the 1970s, while Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi embraced the role of stay-at-home parent. Soha Ali Khan recalls this arrangement as normal, despite Sharmila’s frequent work absences. While Saif Ali Khan initially struggled with her absence, Sharmila later became more involved, acknowledging both her efforts and missteps in parenting.
Long before work-life balance became a common conversation, Sharmila Tagore was quietly mastering it in the 1970s. While she thrived as a leading actress and the family’s primary breadwinner, her husband Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi took on the role of stay-at-home parent. Their children, including Soha Ali Khan, recall this unconventional dynamic as completely normal and formative to their childhood.
Children’s perspective on their mother’s absence
In a conversation with Instant Bollywood, Soha revealed that while her mother Sharmila was often away for work, her father Pataudi took on the role of stay-at-home parent. She noted that her mother loved her work and remained ambitious, balancing her career and family, even if it meant she wasn’t always present at home—a situation that never bothered them.Soha emphasized that her mother’s absence never caused any resentment among the children and felt completely normal to them. She recalled that while her father was usually at home, her mother balanced work and family as the family’s primary breadwinner, a dynamic that shaped their childhood naturally.
Challenges of balancing career and parenting
In a previous interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Soha revealed that when Saif Ali Khan was young, Sharmila’s work sometimes kept her away for weeks, which upset him. She recalled that when her mother hurried home for bedtime, Saif would sometimes react with frustration, highlighting the challenges of balancing career and family.
Sharmila Tagore reflects on her early parenting years
The veteran actress herself spoke about this at a YFLO event, admitting that she was largely absent from Saif Ali Khan’s life during his first six years. She explained that her busy work schedule kept her away, though she attended key events like parent-teacher meetings and school plays. She acknowledged that her husband took on the parenting role during this time, and later, she became an overzealous mother, trying to make up for lost time, while admitting she made a few mistakes along the way. Go to Source
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