Saif Ali Khan does not keep in regular touch with Sharmila Tagore .

Sharmila Tagore grouse against son Saif Ali Khan. She says he does not keep in regular touch with her.

“On his birthday he complained to Soha that he hadn’t heard from either of his parents. In fact, both the parents had sent him a birthday SMS, father (Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi) from Delhi and mother from Toronto, to both his New York and Indian numbers. But you can’t hold grudges against Saif. He’ll charm you within moments.”

At least when I SMS my daughters Saba (Ali Khan) and Soha (Ali Khan) they reply immediately. But Saif is impossible. He gets in touch at three in the morning when he’s in trouble. But when I want him he’s nowhere to be found,” Sharmila told IANS.

With Saif blossoming into one of the finest actors in the country and Soha coming into her own with films like “Rang De Basanti”, Sharmila is one proud mother.

Well, we all know who her favourite actor is as she just can’t stop talking about “Omkara” and Saif.

“From ‘Hum Tum’ to ‘Kal Ho Naa Ho’ to ‘Parineeta’ and ‘Omkara’…the diversity is admirable. I really pray for him because he has to get better and better,” said Sharmilaoha, her mother says, initially showed no inclination to be in movies. “After she worked in a bank, she wanted to act. And my husband and I didn’t discourage her.”

“She’s dealt quite well with the strange and professional atmosphere and the hurtful criticism like, ‘You look like your mother and you’ve the acting talent of your father’.”

But Sharmila adds: “Come to think of it, Saif had to go through the worst barbs when he came in. To a large extent he has prepared the way for Soha.”

Sharmila knows that her kids have to find their own way of life.

Sharmila and Soha will be seen in Aparna Sen’s film “Jewel Box”.

“That project will happen if the finances are in place. I love my character. If it’s made I’ll have a ball doing it.”

“It’s very culture-specific drama, about three different generations of Bengali women and what jewellery means to them. For my character it means better bargaining power in the household. For the second generation jewellery is an investment. For the third generation it funds a vision. Like ‘Omkara’, Aparna’s film is culture-specific. It’ll work only in Bengali.”

She speaks highly of her co-stars - Govinda and Konkana Sen Sharma - in the project.

But apart from this project, Sharmila does not have any films. Her charity work, gardening and reading keep her busy.

“At the moment I don’t have any other films on hand. I keep myself busy with my work for Unicef and with gardening and reading which are my passions. And of course meeting my children, which I don’t get to do that often.”