To be a real man, I think you have to be supportive of each other and to be a real woman you have to be supportive of your man, and the man has to do the same thing, only then he would be a real man.
Sharmila Tagore
Change is the only constant in this unsteady world.
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.
I think it's quite a big decision for women to have children. In our time, I don't think we thought so much about it. We just went and had them and of course, life is not fun-filled and not complete if you don't have them. It's a wonderful thing when you think about it.
I get attracted to projects because of the script or the idea and the basic character.
It's really rewarding working with young people.
My first mother's role was in 'Aradhana.' But after that in mid to late 1980s, I was being offered more roles of mothers.
I was very close to Mani Rabadi. She not only designed my clothes in some of my films, she was also a personal friend and guide when I was new to Mumbai.
I live by my own values and if I'm appreciated for the qualities I value, that is enough for me.
When I came to Bombay, as it was called in my time, it was filled with people from everywhere, Kashmir to Kerala.
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.
I want to highlight this, that to make meaningful cinema, we really need an enabling environment and freedom to express.
Bengal's indigenous art and craft is widely popular throughout the world.
I'm an actor by choice and I love facing the camera. There's a little bit of exhibitionism in all of us. We like the limelight.
The fact that I am getting a doctorate in spite of being a college drop-out proves that the world can be your university.
I find I am growing fonder of gardening, listening to music and reading.
It's been a great advantage and a privilege to have the Tagore surname. Wherever you go, you are recognised.
I studied music at Dakhhini.
A Tagore surname signifies an association with aesthetics and all the best things of life. It's enriching both personally and professionally.
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.
Human relationships can get awfully demanding and unpredictable. One day you feel one way, the next day you feel something else. That affects relationships. It's better to spend time with yourself doing the things that you enjoy.
One has to do everything at the right time. That includes motherhood.
People judge us looking from the outside. They don't really know what is going on in my life. There are hundreds of perspectives out there. I cannot live up to all the expectations.
You cannot force anybody to honour somebody. You can only ask.
I remember when Saif was a baby, the pediatrician had recommended that we give him orange juice to drink, but my mother said he was too small to be able to digest it and that I should dilute it with some water. I didn't listen and Saif had a tummy-ache. I guess mothers do sometimes know best and it's also the experience that counts.
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.
Earlier Bollywood was a fly-by kind of business which few wished to be involved in. Now Bollywood is good business and everybody wants to be associated with films. This is definitely a very significant change that I have seen in Bollywood.
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.
What is my truth can not be your truth.
We used to do four or five films at a time and were not able to experiment with too many things. But, the heart was in the right place and everybody worked passionately. We had wonderful directors like Bimal Roy, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Raj Kapoor.
I worked with three designers in my heydays - Bhanu Aathiya, Shalini Shah and Mani Rabadi. Out of these, Mani was the least assertive and aggressive. I remember Bhanu used to be quite insistent and particular about her fees etc whereas Mani was too soft-spoken.
Aradhana' was a very big hit while 'Avishkaar' is a cult film.
I am a Bengali, I like my rice.
I felt so much closer to my mother after I had babies. It bonds a mother and daughter more.
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.
There's nothing like young children's energy... They are always curious, and enthusiastic about many different things.
I don't think I was pregnant during 'Aradhana.' But yes, during 'Safar' and 'Choti Bahu' I was pregnant and quite unwell in the last phase of my pregnancy. Then during 'Besharam' I was pregnant with Sabaa.
I do practice active gratitude. In my thoughts, actions words I am deeply grateful for what life has given me.
We've always had very strong women in my family.
I travel quite a bit.
Every age bracket has to be respected and it should be embraced naturally.
Being a Bengali, I have kept in touch with the cinema of my mother tongue.
Besides having lived and worked in Maharashtra for several years, working in a Marathi film was quite a challenge.
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.
There's a cultural difference between India and the rest of the world.
When you are doing a film for money or to help a friend out, be clear about the motives and then finish what needs to be done.
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.
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 know that we have to get in there and do something if we want to change the system and get a better government. But the whole task is very daunting. If I join either the Congress or the BJP, I will be forced to follow their systems and then I may not be able to do anything significant to change things.
