Before she became the Begum of Pataudi, Sharmila Tagore added a touch of drama to her real-life love story—one that could rival any Bollywood script. At the peak of her stardom in the 1960s, her romance with India’s cricketing heartthrob Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi was already making headlines. But what many don’t know is that before agreeing to marry the Nawab, Sharmila set a lighthearted yet bold condition—one that involved cricket, of course. What followed was a charming blend of romance, sportsmanship, and tradition-defying love.
A match made at an after-match party
According to reports, Sharmila and Mansoor dated for quite some time before deciding to tie the knot. The two reportedly met through mutual friends at an after-match party in Delhi, which Sharmila attended after watching a game—despite not knowing much about cricket back then. Interestingly, Tiger Pataudi, too, hadn’t seen many of her films.
The proposal with a twist
As their romance blossomed, Pataudi eventually proposed. But Sharmila added a playful twist: she would only say yes if he hit three consecutive sixes in his next match. Amused by the condition, he laughed it off—but rose to the challenge and delivered exactly that on the field. True to her word, Sharmila said yes, and the two went on to have a grand wedding, marking the beginning of one of India’s most iconic love stories.The veteran actress also reflected on the challenges she faced ahead of her marriage to Pataudi. Being an interfaith couple in the 1960s came with its share of scrutiny. She noted that both her family and Pataudi’s came from strong cultural traditions—while her relatives had all married within the Bengali community, his family had followed the norms of their own circle.
Keeping It simple despite the buzz
Sharmila revealed that they simply informed their families of their decision to marry, without anticipating the deeper concerns it might stir. At the time, she was immersed in her film career, and Pataudi was busy with cricket, so they remained largely unaware of the tensions happening behind the scenes.
