/> Sharmila loves her two children. But she has a grouse against Saif.

"At least when I SMS my daughter Saba and Soha, they reply immediately. Saif is impossible. He gets in touch at 3 in the morning when he's in trouble. But when I want him he's nowhere to be found.

On his birthday he complained to Soha that he hadn't heard from either parent. In fact both the parents had sent him a birthday SMS, father from Delhi and mother from Toronto to both his local NY and Indian numbers. But you can't hold grudges against Saif. He'll charm you within moments."

With Saif blossoming into one of the finest actors in the country and Soha coming into her own with Rang De Basanti, Sharmila Tagore is one proud mother.

"I think everyone got an anxious SMS from Saif when he had to shave his head for Omkara. And then he proceeded to do exactly what he wanted to. I advised him against shaving his hair. But he went ahead and did it. And it really worked. I was blown away!

Earlier in Parineeta he was good specially in that scene where he plays the piano with a cigarette dangling from his lips. But it was a familiar world for Saif. But this! After I saw Omkara I really became Saif's fan for life. I asked Vishal where he got all that violence in Saif.

As one actor responding to another I felt Saif had risen to the occasion. Of course Vishal has given him the opportunity. From Hum Tum to Kal Ho Na Ho to Parineeta and now Omkara....the diversity is admirable.

I really pray for him. Because he has to get better and better. As an actor I enjoyed my time in the industry, and now Saif and Soha in her own little way are enjoying their moment."

Soha, says her mom, had shown no inclination to be in movies. "But after she worked in a bank, she wanted to act. And my husband and I didn't discourage her.

She's dealt quite well with the strange and professional atmosphere and the hurtful criticism like, 'You look like your mother and you've the acting talent of your father.'

Sharmila ponders, "Come to think of it Saif had to go through worst barbs when he came in. To a large extent he has prepared the way for Soha. As a mother I'm happy they're working, making a living and trying to make sense of their lives.

Hopefully they'll evolve into better people. We're always there to support them. If they flounder and fall we're always there to support them and keep a watch them.

Other than that it's their life and they can do what they want as long as they don't hurt other people. We expect them to conduct themselves with dignity.

But every generation has to learn from its own mistakes. What worked for me may not work for them. I can't run Saif and Soha's life by remote control. Parents often believe they know best.

I'm not very sure. God forbid, if tomorrow I fall down dead they've to make their own way. But I love them. If they do something right I'm happy and if they err, I do feel unhappy."

Sharmila shares a closer rapport with her daughter. "Soha isn't threatened by my criticism. The first thing I do when I meet her is to berate her for plucking her eyebrows. She doesn't like it. But she takes it in her stride. She says I'm her worst critic, but she knows it comes from a good place."

Sharmila and Soha will be seen in Aparna Sen's film. "That project will happen if the finances are in place. I love my character. If it's made I'll have a ball doing it.

It's very culture-specific drama, about three different generations of Bengali women and what jewellery means to them. For my character it means better bargaining power in the household.

For the second generation jewellery is an investment. For the third generation it funds a vision. Like Omkara Aparna's film is culture-specific. It'll work only in Bengali"

She speaks highly of her co-stars in the Aparna Sen project. "Like Shammi Kapoor Govinda is very very under-utilized. And Konkona ...I'm really looking forward to working with her. She's so brilliant in Omkara."

Says Sharmila, " At the moment I don't have any other films on hand. I keep myself busy with my work for UNICEF and with gardening and reading which are my passion...And of course meeting my children, which I don't get to do that often."