Soha Ali Khan has opened up about her mother, veteran actress Sharmila Tagore’s battle with lung cancer, revealing that the diagnosis came at an early stage and was treated without chemotherapy.
In a candid chat with Nayandeep Rakshit on his YouTube channel, Soha shed light on a difficult phase the family went through, one that had not been widely known until recently.
“I have had loss in my family. We have been through stressful situations, as everybody does,” Soha shared during the conversation. “With my mother, she was one of the very few people to be diagnosed with lung cancer at stage zero, and no chemotherapy, nothing. It was cut out of her and she is, touchwood, fine.”
Sharmila Tagore’s health condition first came to public attention during her appearance on celebrity chat show Koffee with Karan in 2023, where she featured alongside her son, actor Saif Ali Khan. Sharmila spoke about her diagnosis and the challenges she faced for the first time on the show.
Host Karan Johar, during the episode, revealed a personal regret, saying, “I had offered Sharmila ji the part played by Shabana (Azmi) ji in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. She was my very first choice. Due to health reasons at that time, she couldn’t say yes. but it is a regret I have.”
Explaining her decision to decline the role, Sharmila said, “This is at the height of Covid. They hadn’t really grappled with Covid at that time. They didn’t know about the vaccine, we were not vaccinated. You know, (it was) after my cancer. So, they didn’t want me to take that risk.”
Sharmila Tagore made a return to Bengali cinema after 16 years with Suman Ghosh’s Puratawn, which hit theatres on Friday. Meanwhile, Soha Ali Khan’s latest film Chhorii 2, where she plays the antagonist, is currently streaming on Prime Video. Directed by Vishal Furia, the horror sequel stars Nushrratt Bharuccha in the lead and also features Gashmeer Mahajani and Saurabh Goyal in prominent roles.