Saif Ali Khan getting a Padma Shri didn’t go down well with some critics and film buffs, but his proud mother Sharmila Tagore thinks the prestigious award will make Saif evaluate his worth and help him live up to people’s expectations.
“This kind of a recognition encourages an artiste to better himself. Even if you lead a relatively carefree life, a Padma award makes you sit up and say, ‘Hey, I’ve to live up to this. It isn’t a film award I’m getting here. The government is recognising my efforts, and I better live up to expectations’,” Sharmila says.
“The Padma Shri will make Saif think of what the country expects from him. I think it's a great pat on the back,” she added.
Like any other mother, Sharmila too admits she likes her son’s acting skills and is waiting for his next venture. “I’ve become fond of Saif as an actor. And I look forward to seeing what he does next,” she says.