Soha,the Tiger’s daughter

[Nokia]

THE genetic pool is immaculate. Her father is the Tiger of Indian cricket. Her mother is one of the few actresses who has earned both commercial success and critical acclaim. Soha Ali Khan, daughter of Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi and Sharmila Tagore , could easily enjoy the spotlight of showbiz.

But she would rather find her own place under the sun. "I have received a number of film offers,"said Soha. "I would rather stay off films, but if a role with depth and character is offered to me, who knows, I might accept it."

A financial whiz with Citibank in Mumbai, Soha believes in living life to the hilt. And, in the current context, it is not the glitz and glamour of tinsel town which attracts her, but the challenge of charting her own career course.

"After attending the British School in Delhi , I pursued undergraduate studies at Oxford . I returned from England after securing a degree in modern history from Balliol College ,"she informed. But Oxford wasn’t to be the end of Soha’s learning curve.

Her yearning for higher studies saw Soha packing her bags to head for the London School of Economics (LSE). "Education has always figured high on my family’s list of priorities,"explained Soha, "At LSE, I studied for an MSc degree in international relations."

Now based in Mumbai,Soha stays with brother Saif, bhabhi Amrita, and their children Sara and Ibrahim. "I have a family in Mumbai and one in Delhi , where my parents and sister Saba stay."Saif, of course, has found his calling in Bollywood. And Saba is a jewellery designer who has made a name for herself. But there is no sibling rivalry. Only sibling revelry. "I have a great equation with my siblings. Even though we are very different, we complement each other really well."

Just like the famous Sharmila, a chinline complements Soha’s pretty face.

Surely, she would like to follow in her mother’s footsteps? Said Soha, through a smile, "I once did an ad with my father and a commercial for a TV brand more recently. But films can wait. I am happy the way things are now."The DNA is in place for this princess of Pataudi. Still, bloodlines are strange. You can be so decidedly different. Soha Ali Khan is.