Now Reading: Sharmila Tagore converted to Islam, guided children: Saba Pataudi
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Sharmila Tagore converted to Islam, guided children: Saba Pataudi
Saba Pataudi, daughter of Sharmila Tagore and the late cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, has said her mother converted to Islam after marriage and guided her children in the faith so they…
The Story in Brief
Saba Pataudi, daughter of Sharmila Tagore and the late cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, has said her mother converted to Islam after marriage and guided her children in the faith so they would have grounding. In an interview with Big Bollywood Buffs, Saba said there was no temple or Hindu religion practised at home, but faith was never imposed. She added that the family grew up celebrating Christmas, Diwali, and Holi.
Saba described herself as a religious Muslim but stressed that faith is personal. Her siblings Saif Ali Khan and Soha Ali Khan have interfaith marriages, and she said nobody in the family follows anything strictly. Saif has separately said he discusses religion with his sons, teaching them that God has many names.
The Indian Opinion
The Pataudi family's faith journey is often dragged into polarising narratives. Some frame it as a forced conversion; others as a model of secularism. The truth is more mundane: Sharmila Tagore chose Islam, taught her children, but left them free. The family celebrates Diwali, Holi, and Christmas. The real test is not whether a celebrity converts, but whether ordinary Indians enjoy the same freedom to choose, question, and mix traditions without public pressure.
Sources (2): timesofindia.indiatimes.com, indiatoday.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
