Sharmila Tagore Quotes

Being a Bengali, I have kept in touch with the cinema of my mother tongue.

There’s nothing like young children‘s energy… They are always curious, and enthusiastic about many different things.

You cannot force anybody to honour somebody. You can only ask.

We’ve always had very strong women in my family.

There should be no hindrance to what we want to do, what we want to wear, what we think and how we want to travel. Do what you want to do as long as you are not breaking any law.

I do practice active gratitude. In my thoughts, actions words I am deeply grateful for what life has given me.

When a film is released, anywhere in the country, exactly in the same place people laugh, cry, get bored, what is that, but commonality.

To me, Satyajit Ray is just Manik da. Our relationship dates back to 1958, when he introduced me to the silver screen. I was just 13.

You can’t be a passive recipient of images, you have to engage with images and read their subtexts. These are critical things that will be taught to the students by a film club.

I find I am growing fonder of gardening, listening to music and reading.

I wanted to change my image. That’s why I did ‘Aradhana.’

Well, a daughter is someone you’ve grown up with, right? So you know her temperament, you know what makes her angry and how to deal with that person. You’re meeting your daughter-in-law when she is an adult already and you don’t quite know what her temperament is like, so it takes time to gel.

You should lead your own life, do what you have to. If people recognize you, it gives you support. If they don’t, how does it matter?

Obviously you do not want to upstage. Some people work like that. But I have never been that upstaging kind. I wouldn’t want to upset anyone.

It’s really rewarding working with young people.

We are a layered society, so what may be taken easily by an urban audience may not go down well with those watching the same film in suburban areas.

I get attracted to projects because of the script or the idea and the basic character.

There are more and more adult subjects with explicit language or explicit scenes… Yes, I feel there should be a category for such films so that instead of cutting it, censoring it or deleting a few scenes we can show it in its entirety.

Sometimes I do everything and then there are times when I don’t want to do anything at all.Most importantly , I don’t do anything that I don’t want to do.

I had loved Tiger for 47 years, was married to him for almost 43. We didn’t make it to 50. But it was a memorable partnership; certainly, an enriching one for me.

Thanks to multiplexes there are lots of experiments going on and we have some great directors like Sujoy, Shoojit, Dibakar.

To be awarded with an honour of the stature of a Padma Bhushan, which is deemed as one of the three highest civilian awards in our country, is just gratifying.

If films could run because of performances, everybody‘s films would do well. It is the director who makes the film.

You are who you are, why should you deny your past?

My son Saif is an avid reader. He points me to books worth reading. I also must do the Indian Express crossword every morning, which is not too difficult and yet not too easy either.

I don’t have any problem in working.

Parents should be told that if they invest in the education and upbringing of a girl child, she will also make contributions for the family and society.

Aradhana’ was a very big hit while ‘Avishkaar’ is a cult film.

My first mother’s role was in ‘Aradhana.’ But after that in mid to late 1980s, I was being offered more roles of mothers.

Society is patriarchal, so film industry by definition is certainly patriarchal. The male gaze dominated.

Satyajit Ray has played a very major part in my career. He was the one who gave me the launch platform when he selected me for his ‘Apur Sansar.’

I still vividly remember when I was working in ‘Kashmir Ki Kali,’ I had no idea about lip-syncing the song ‘Diwana Hua Badal’ sung by Asha Bhosle and the scene was to be shot in the Dal Lake in Kashmir.

I travel quite a bit.

When you come to the set, and are aware of the limitations of the script or the director, don’t expect the pigs to fly.

My life changed when I was introduced to Satyajit Ray. It was acting for me thereafter.

Being here and receiving appreciation from the people here in Nantes has a special appeal. But I do believe I have worked hard for it. Very hard.

In my time, Mother’s Day wasn’t celebrated the way it is now. In fact, there used to be no Mother’s Day for a long time.

What is my truth can not be your truth.

Film Club is a necessity in any big university, as it provides a platform and a forum where you can exchange ideas, critique and appreciate historical, classics and contemporary films.

Even in real life, at least I have that very strong sense of timing to do things when they are meant to be done. Like when to stop colouring your hair, when to do whatever, and to live by it too.

I want to highlight this, that to make meaningful cinema, we really need an enabling environment and freedom to express.

I wanted to be a painter.

On the sets, I am just an actress, and I am okay with whoever I am working with.

It’s been a great advantage and a privilege to have the Tagore surname. Wherever you go, you are recognised.