Why did Sharmila Tagore apply makeup after waking up each morning? Daughter Soha reveals: ‘She used to wake up before my father…’

Sharmila Tagore married Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, the Nawab of Pataudi and Bhopal, in 1968. The marriage lasted till Pataudi’s death, and they went on to have three kids—Saif, Soha, and Saba Ali Khan. Despite her marriage, Sharmila had a thriving career in Bollywood at a time when marriage was looked at as a death knell career-wise for mainstream actresses.

Soha recently reminisced about her parents’ marriage in a podcast with Sonakshi Sinha. She revealed that while she was comfortable in front of her husband without makeup, her mother would often apply a bit of makeup on her face after waking up so as to appear glamorous in front of her husband.

Sharmila would often rise earlier than her husband, lightly enhance her face with makeup, and then slip back into bed so that he would always first see her looking polished and tip-top.


"My mother told me that when she got married, she used to wake up before my father and put on a little bit of makeup. Then she would go back to sleep because he was like, ‘She is Sharmila Tagore,’ and he should wake up to seeing Sharmila Tagore for a brief period of time.." she said.

Sonakshi also opened up about her own marriage during the conversation. She spoke about how her relationship with her husband, Zaheer Iqbal, is rooted in deep comfort and emotional connection rather than just physical appearance. She mentioned that Zaheer has consistently encouraged her to feel self-assured regardless of her size or how she looks on any given day. He frequently captures candid and quirky photos of her, and whenever she questions his choices, he reassures her that he finds beauty even in her most unguarded moments, including the ones where she believes she appears dishevelled.

Sonakshi and Zaheer, who married in 2024, have also shared glimpses of their lavish Mumbai residence with admirers. Their home is expansive enough that Zaheer was seen riding a small scooter through different sections of the apartment, highlighting the sheer scale of the space and offering fans a playful look into their everyday life.