Tags:
Journalism of Courage
The smile on her face, as she glances at the mirror, reveals that she8217;s happy with her appearance. Dressed in a black satin blouse and knee-length skirt, her hair tied up in a bouffant, Soha Ali Khan lends the casual ambience of Mumbai8217;s Raheja Classique Club, a sophisticated charm. Seated on a sofa in the lush lawns by the poolside, the soft-spoken actress turns out to be a photographer8217;s delight 8212; she effortlessly smiles into the camera and even attempts humour to make it look natural.
An old couple at a distance nods in approval. 8220;She8217;s beautiful like her mother Sharmila Tagore,8221; gushes the wife. Comparisons are inevitable for someone with such strong lineage but Soha remains unperturbed. 8220;There8217;s an inherent sense of security I grew up with. Comparisons and rat race don8217;t bother me,8221; she grins. But the actress acknowledges the mistakes she8217;s made in her career. 8220;The first year was a disaster 8212; in retrospect, I wasn8217;t focussing,8221; she says.
Otherwise known for her reservations about talking to the media, she8217;s unusually chatty today. And despite the constant interruptions by the make-up man, manager and staff, Soha maintains her poise and volunteers: 8220;I8217;m a bundle of contradictions 8212; I8217;m a private person, like my dad M A K Pataudi and sister Saba, but I do have occasional outbursts of loquaciousness, a trait I inherit from my mother and share with Saif Ali Khan, where I give away too much about myself.8221;
Soha may be a potential heiress to the Pataudi estate but regrets her fear of riding a horse, one of the novelties of belonging to a royal family. 8220;I8217;ve heard so many incidents that I get scared when I8217;m near a horse. But I8217;m not so bad at horse-riding,8221; she assures, glancing towards the club8217;s wide lawns longingly.
The actress, after concluding our meeting, headed for a meeting with a director and script reading. 8220;The coming year will see a handful of my releases. UTV8217;s Dhoondte Reh Jaoge, a commercial film with Vishesh Films, a horror movie and a Bengali film by Aparna Sen.8221; With a mixed bag of commercial, comedy and regional films in her kitty, she feels her patience is paying off. But there8217;s something more that Soha wants to do apart from films. 8220;I love theatre. It8217;s hugely fulfilling as you can see in the audience if they appreciate your work. I8217;ve done it at an amateur level but I go for plays as often as I can. It8217;s an issue of time and commitment. But if I get a chance, I8217;ll surely give it a shot.8221;
