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If it had been a book on Kareena or Saif, people would have grabbed it without a second thought but about Soha, we have watched her films and we know that she hasn’t been as successful as the rest of her family members.
I recently came across a book with Soha Ali Khan on its cover page! Though I’m not usually the person, who judges a book by its cover, but then, there are moments like these, when in an investment magazine office, you unexpectedly find a non-financial book amidst all heavy business books. Being a die-hard Bollywood fan, this book immediately caught my attention and I was wondering whether someone left this book by mistake or what!
I know what you’re thinking! I too thought the same! What’s there to read about her! If it had been a book on Kareena or Saif, people would have grabbed it without a second thought but about Soha, we have watched her films and we know that she hasn’t been as successful as the rest of her family members.
And guess what, she confessed that in the initial chapters! However, after completing the book, I realized that films are a part of an actor’s life and not just limited to that! Reading about Soha was somewhat surprising! She has done so much in her life but the internet hardly has anything to show! Soha has summed up her life in this 210-page book with wonderful pictures, which I am sure, you won’t get on the internet!
The book begins with Soha’s childhood, a sneak-peek into the royal family. She discusses her maternal and paternal sides. I was surprised to know that Sharmila Tagore, her mother, is somewhat related to Rabindranath Tagore! You can find ample pictures, letters, and check the family tree to better understand how they’re actually related!
Coming from the family of achievers, Soha opens up what is it to be a royal princess and being moderately famous (as is the title) among them! I haven’t watched Sharmila Tagore’s films but yes, of course, seen a glimpse of her songs here & there and also, heard about her father, a famous cricketer! However, we all know the rest of the family members, be it Saif, Kareena, Kunal, Sara & Ibrahim, or the next-gen kids, Taimur, Inaaya & Jehangir! What we don’t know is about her elder sister, Saba Ali Khan, who’s hardly ever in the limelight!
I liked the part where Soha was planning to have a baby and went to meet her gynaecologist. She wanted to know, “how late was too late to have a baby.” I loved her gynae’s reply. She said, “Your ovaries can’t see your face”! We all go through this phase where families start pressurizing to have a child soon after marriage and scare us by saying, ‘it’s getting too late.’ Copy-paste this reply to all those who tell you this!
I also loved the part where Soha talks about meeting her husband, Kunal Khemu. She discusses the love marriages that have happened before in the family and there’s a special story behind it. For that, you’ll have to read the book!
Soha opens up as to how she’s always addressed in the public for being someone’s wife, daughter, sister, etc. However, I would like to tell her that when I met Kunal Khemu in New Delhi a few years back at a press conference, I referred to him as Soha’s husband but soon corrected my instant reaction! And his reply was, “I have also done a few films.” I said, “I know and I loved your acting in Kalyug, Go Goa Gone, and of course, Golmaal.” Only if I had read this at that time! But alas! This book got published two years later to that event!
Besides, you would be surprised to know that this delicate-looking beautiful actress loves hiking and camping! She’s quite adventurous and has explored many places with her friends! You can find a detailed explanation of her adventures along with beautiful pictures. While reading all those details, only one thing struck my mind, how did she manage to escape media attention of all these channels, which mention celebrities’ outfits, colour of their nail polish or bags’ brand, what were they doing at that time?!
Soha has also described how negative feedback and social media trolls affected her during her initial days! And we all know how insensitive some media channels become in order to increase their TRP. It’s nothing new but these actors too have hearts and they also get affected! They’re very much cautious of what they say and what it may turn out to be!
Concluding it, I guess every reader would relate to her as she hails from a celeb family but lives a simple life like any of us! Her mother’s tips on life are more or less what our mothers give when we step out of our city for education, post-marriage, or for work! Her feeling when her parents came to drop her off till the hostel took me down memory lane.
And knowing that Nancy Drew and Famous Five was part of her childhood also, nostalgia hit me! I formed a virtual bond with Soha during this weekend, which she’ll always be unaware of, perhaps, that’s what books are meant for, connecting two individuals who’re poles apart!
Image source: An image of Soha Ali Khan
An avid reader and a passionate writer, she's a working woman with several travelogues published on Amazon, Kindle & Goodreads. If not reading, she would be seen either cooking her favourite dishes or binge- read more...
This post has published with none or minimal editorial intervention. Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, individual posts do not necessarily represent the platform's views and opinions at all times.
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