Mukesh Khanna criticizes Sharmila Tagore over Vande Mataram remarks

Veteran actor Mukesh Khanna has criticized Sharmila Tagore following her reported suggestions regarding the national song, Vande Mataram. Tagore reportedly suggested that only the opening stanzas of the song should be sung to respect India’s religious diversity and the sentiments of various communities.

Khanna expressed disagreement with this stance, questioning why Tagore is raising these concerns now. He referenced her Bengali upbringing and her marriage to Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, referring to her as ‘Ayesha Begum’ to highlight her transition into a different religious context through marriage. Khanna argued that her background in Hindu cultural traditions, such as Kali Puja, contradicts her current position on the song.