Sharmila Tagore and Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi on the sets of her film Satyakam. (Express archive photo)

At the time of her marriage to “Tiger” Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, a legendary Indian cricketer and former captain of the national cricket team, veteran actor Sharmila Tagore converted to Islam and adopted the name Ayesha. Although it was their personal choice, it soon sparked controversy, leading to both Sharmila and Mansoor receiving death threats.

Recently, the couple’s second daughter, jewellery designer and tarot reader Saba Ali Khan Pataudi, reacted to the controversy and revealed the real reason behind Sharmila’s conversion to Islam . She mentioned that her mother made the decision so that the wedding could happen smoothly, maintaining that her grandmother wouldn’t have approved of the union otherwise.

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Why Sharmila Tagore converted to Islam

“In those days, conversion was necessary.…