Sharmila Tagore recalls being branded a ‘bad girl’, says mud was literally slung at her by a mob: ‘I became a social suspect’

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She continued, “Even I felt, once upon a time, that I would be whistled at, or I would get that kind of admiration. When you get married, there is a different kind of respect. And when you become a mother, then you’ve joined the collective. I remember going to Hyderabad, and a car had to come to collect me. Within minutes a crowd gathered, and people asked me if my son needed to be taken care of, they took me to another room, brought me a chair… It was a different kind of reception altogether.

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She said that society has evolved greatly over the years, especially when it comes to attitudes regarding the film industry. She said that she once had mud slung at her by a mob, who also threatened to set the train she was travelling by on fire, but things changed eventually. “I came from a different kind of family. I was GN Tagore’s daughter. I knew who I was, and I had self-confidence. I didn’t really care much about what others said about me. I was exactly the same then as I am now… But because I lived alone in a hotel, I was not chaperoned, people had different ideas. I became a social suspect. Others were from Maharashtra, they were chaperoned, they wore white, they didn’t drink alcohol. I was different, so I was the ‘bad girl’,” she said.

Sharmila Tagore said that she cannot possibly please everybody, but as long as her conscience is clear, she’s fine with the brickbats. “Support and affirmation came from my family,” she said.