Sharmila Tagore: Today’s heroines have better chance in Bollywood

Sharmila Tagore was recently awarded the lifetime achievement award by the Ph.D. Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Veteran actor Sharmila Tagore says female actors today have a better chance unlike earlier times in the film industry. “During our times it was nothing better than a good cry. We had to all look helpless… so, I think these people (heroines today) are having much more fun…,” Sharmila said when asked if she sees any difference between the female actors then and now.

Sharmila, 72, said that the life of a heroine during her time was not exciting. “Heroines (then) couldn’t be bad, so Helen had all the fun… heroine’s life wasn’t all that exciting… today’s heroines have much better chance,” she added

The ‘Amar Prem’ actors says maintaining a continuity then was difficult. “Also, we were working in three or four films at a time. So, maintaining a continuity was difficult because today Aamir Khan can put on and lose weight… we couldn’t do all that,” she said.

Talking about the films she likes the most out of those she starred in, Sharmila said, “I like ‘Safar’ and ‘Mausam’. People really like ‘Amar Prem’ and ‘Aradhana’. The shelf life of these films is still there… but my favourite is ‘Safar’ and ‘Mausam’.”

In her over five-decade journey in Hindi filmdom, Sharmila has starred in films like ‘Aradhana’, ‘Kashmir Ki Kali’, ‘Aa Gale Lag Jaa’ and ‘An Evening In Paris’. About her favourite co-star, she said, ” I liked Shashi (Kapoor) very much. He’s a friend. Of course, with Rajesh Khannaji I gave several hits, and Dharmendra.”

Sharmila, who made her Bollywood debut in 1959, on Tuesday was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Ph.D. Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the Siri Fort Auditorium. On receiving the award, Sharmila said, “Thank you Ph.D. Chamber for this wonderful honour and distinction… I am so happy to share with these young people who were rocking… thank you, so much.”

Apart from Sharmila, filmmaker-fashion designer Muzzafar Ali was feted with a Special Award for contribution to the Indian cinema. He thanked the Ph.D. Chamber of Commerce and Industry, saying: “It is a great thing to respect… it is this respect which makes us work.”

The Chamber also gave awards to several singers like Kavita Seth, Prem Bhatia, Akriti Kakar, Usha Mangeshkar, and Ankit Tiwari, among others.