When Simi Garewal recalled her breakup with Mansoor Ali Khan after he met Sharmila Tagore

simi garewal and mansor alisimi garewal and mansor ali

• Simi Garewal dated Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi before he met Sharmila Tagore
• Pataudi ended things with Simi after meeting Sharmila; they married in 1968
• Simi later hosted Pataudi and Sharmila on her show, keeping cordial relations.

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Veteran actress-host Simi Garewal once opened up about her past relationship with Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, the legendary former captain of the Indian cricket team, and how it ended after he met his future wife, Sharmila Tagore. Years before Pataudi’s marriage to Tagore — one of Indian cinema’s most celebrated love stories — he and Simi shared a romantic relationship, a chapter that the actress later reflected on with grace.

Simi confirmed that she and Mansoor — affectionately known as Tiger Pataudi — were involved when he was at the peak of his cricketing career. She described him as easy-going and said he would visit her on film sets, much to the delight of those around them. Their bond was not hidden; they were social friends and colleagues long before bigger life events unfolded.

She had mentioned on her website, "The Pataudis and I go back a long way. Mansoor and I dated each other when he was India's Captain. He was always easygoing and would come to my shoots - much to the delight of the film unit! Sharmila Tagore and I were social friends and colleagues. And then of course they met - and you know the rest! I found Mansoor hadn't changed at all! He had grown into a wise, rational person. Very honest and still retaining that Sharmila Tagore charm."

However, fate took a turn when Mansoor met Sharmila Tagore. After their meeting, his affections shifted, and he decided to end things with Simi. According to multiple reports, Pataudi visited Simi to break the news in person, explaining that he had met someone else — a moment that marked the end of their romantic relationship. True to her poised nature, Simi reportedly handled the breakup with dignity, even accompanying him as he left her apartment, where Tagore was waiting nearby.

Sharmila Tagore and Mansoor Ali Khan married in 1968, shortly after his split with Simi, and went on to build a long and deeply admired partnership. They welcomed three children — Saif Ali Khan, Saba Ali Khan and Soha Ali Khan — and remained married until Mansoor died in 2011. Their marriage, an inter-faith union that defied social pressures at the time, became one of Indian cultural history’s most enduring love stories.

Simi’s recollections about that chapter of her life surfaced during her days as host of Rendezvous With Simi Garewal, where she later invited Mansoor and Sharmila as guests. Despite her personal history, her interactions with the couple were warm and cordial.