Mumtaz admits she didn’t call Sharmila Tagore after Saif Ali Khan’s knife attack: ‘I was never close to her’

Actress Mumtaz recently reflected on the long-standing public perception of a rivalry between her and fellow legend Sharmila Tagore. She recently addressed questions about the nature of their relationship during the peak of their careers and also shared memories of her successful partnership with superstar Rajesh Khanna.
Mumtaz about her rift with Sharmila
When asked whether there was any rivalry between the two leading ladies of their era, Mumtaz was quick to clarify that there was no animosity. She shared that she had nothing to do with Sharmila during a conversation with Vickey Lalwani on his YouTube channel. She admitted to being one of the leading stars in the industry alongside Sharmila. “I think I have won more awards than she has ever won. She and I were both beautiful, so why would I be jealous of her? I was never jealous of her; I don’t know why people think that,” she shared.
Mumtaz did not call Sharmila after Saif Ali Khan's knife attack
The actress also addressed whether she had contacted Sharmila after the unfortunate knife attack on her son, actor Saif Ali Khan, earlier this year. Mumtaz admitted she did not reach out. “I call nobody. So many people died; I didn’t call anybody" she added.
Mumtaz lives in London and travels to different places in the world like Kenya, Uganda, and wherever her husband goes. She comes to Mumbai only once in six months because she loves her homeland. "I am what I am because of the love I got from Indians" she shared.
Reflecting on why she didn’t feel compelled to connect with Sharmila during that difficult time, Mumtaz said their bond was never a personal one. “I was never close to her. I was not friendly with her, and neither was she. She had her own set of friends and I had mine,” she stated.
Bond with Rajesh Khanna
The conversation also touched on the iconic films she did with Rajesh Khanna. When it came to the legacy of those collaborations, Mumtaz didn’t hold back: “Rajesh Khanna and I were a perfect match, which is why we starred in so many films together.” She also spoke about Sharmila’s collaborations with Khanna and stated that she had only a few films with him.

Mumtaz proudly mentioned that she had done more than 15 movies with Khanna and none of them became a flop. “All our songs were hits. Rajesh Khanna and I became friends. He wasn’t friendly with every heroine, but he would get along with Sharmila ji as well,” she emphasised.
The actress also dismissed any notion of jealousy from Sharmila’s side. According to her, there was mutual respect whenever they crossed paths. “She was married at the time and had beautiful kids,” Mumtaz added.
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'Yeh Raat Phir Na Aayegi' in 1966 featured Sharmila and Mumtaz alongside Prithviraj Kapoor. 'Sawan Ki Ghata', 'Raja Rani', and 'Mere Humdum Mere Dost ' are some of their other films together.