Veteran actor Sharmila Tagore spoke in 2022 about stepping back into the spotlight on her own terms, choosing projects only when they felt natural and creatively fulfilling, while continuing to embrace work at a pace that suited her.



Reflecting on a role that resonatedIn a throwback exclusive interview with ETimes, Tagore opened up about her experience on the film ' Gulmohar ', which was later released in 2023 with a vibrant ensemble cast. She said the script drew her in because it resisted a simple label, describing it as a family drama with mystery, like how everybody has a secret and at the same time, they are all close together. The story brought together Manoj Bajpayee, Amol Palekar, Suraj Sharma and Simran Bagga as different branches of an extended household.



Memories from the set and thoughts on future pairingTagore recalled that her transition back to a busy set felt effortless. “I was like a duck to the water. It was painless and it felt so good,” she said, remembering how the production took place inside real homes, which added authenticity and warmth to the shoot. Working closely with her co-stars, she especially praised Simran Bagga as a very accomplished actress and appreciated the wonderful energy that the younger actors brought, always appreciative and smiling around her.



Those experiences shaped the way she viewed future collaborations. When asked about Tagore sharing the screen with her son, Saif Ali Khan and daughter-in-law Kareena Kapoor Khan in future, she stressed that the story had to come first.



“You know the audience is very wild. They want to see a good film at the end of the day,” she remarked, pointing out that star combinations alone could not guarantee a meaningful project. Any film uniting the three of them, she felt, would need to arise from the right script and circumstances. “If the collaboration happens organically then that is a good thing, but nobody can force these things,” she said, capturing her measured and thoughtful approach to work at that time.