The most recent installment of Karan Johar’s talk show, Koffee With Karan 8, featured a memorable episode with the presence of veteran actress Sharmila Tagore and her son, actor Saif Ali Khan. The conversation delved into topics such as family dynamics and cinema. During the show, host Karan Johar made a remark about Saif Ali Khan and his former wife Amrita Singh, stating, “There is one place that he visited and never left, and that was Amrita Singh’s house. The first time he went there, he stayed.” Karan Johar went on to say, “According to Soha (Saif’s sister), when it eventually led to marriage, she was just 13, and a classmate informed her, ‘Your brother just got married.'”
Saif Ali Khan discussed his marriage, recalling, “I remember sharing the news with my mother.” Sharmila Tagore interjected, saying, “In fact, I was in Mumbai for some reason, and Saif came to meet me. He said, ‘I have something to tell you,’ and he shared the news. I don’t know what I was doing, but I was quiet. He noticed and said, ‘Amma, you’re quiet, your color is changing, and you look different.’ I reassured him that we would discuss it later. After he left, I called Tiger and shared the news. There was a long silence on his part, and we left it at that. The next day, I contacted Amrita and we had tea and a chat, but I was still quite shocked.”
Karan Johar inquired of Saif, “How does one suddenly get married at that age?” To which, Saif responded, “It was somewhat like running away from home in a sense. I don’t recall many details, but I found a sense of security and an appealing idea. I felt I could create a home out of that.” Sharmila Tagore chimed in, noting that both Saif and Amrita Singh shared many similarities. “They were very much alike—both humorous, engaging in lots of laughter, mimicking others, and playfully teasing. Saif excelled in mimicry, while she was a great storyteller. They appeared genuinely happy together,” she added.
Saif further shared that his mother was understanding and supportive when she learned about his marriage to Amrita. “My mom, Sharmila Tagore, was supportive when I took that step, and I vividly remember it. She had asked me if I was living with someone and doing something. I replied affirmatively, and she advised against getting married. However, I informed her that I had already gotten married the day before. A large tear rolled down her cheek, and she began to cry. She expressed how much I had hurt her and questioned why I hadn’t informed her earlier. That’s what transpired in that moment,” recounted Saif Ali Khan.
The actor also mentioned that Sharmila Tagore was the first person he confided in before his separation from Amrita. He shared, “Regarding the separation, the initial person I discussed it with was my mother. She took a deep breath, and after a pause on the phone, she said, ‘I am with you if that is what you want.’ That was a significant source of support.”
Discussing Saif and Amrita’s separation, Sharmila Tagore remarked, “When you’ve been together for such an extended period, and you have wonderful children, no breakup is simple. It’s not a harmonious situation… I understand achieving harmony during that stage is challenging; everyone is hurt. So, that phase was not pleasant, but I made an effort. However, that’s in the past; she needed time to cool down.”
Sharmila Tagore emphasized that the challenging period affected not only Saif but the entire family. She explained, “It wasn’t just about physical separation; there were many other complexities involved. It was a difficult time for us because Ibrahim was just three, and we were very attached to the children. Particularly, Tiger was quite fond of Ibrahim and would often say, ‘That’s a good lad.’ He missed out on spending time with him. So, losing Amrita and being separated from the two kids was a double loss for us. It wasn’t just about Saif; we also had to adapt to all those changes.”
Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh entered matrimony in 1991, but after a span of thirteen years, the couple decided to part ways, finalizing their divorce in 2004. Together, Saif and Amrita are the proud parents of a son named Ibrahim Ali Khan and a daughter named Sara Ali Khan. Subsequently, in 2012, Saif tied the knot with actor Kareena Kapoor, and they now share the joys of parenthood with sons named Taimur and Jeh.