Renowned veteran actress Sharmila Tagore revealed her past battle with cancer, shedding light on why she couldn't take up a role in the movie "Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani". Accompanied by her son, actor Saif Ali Khan, she appeared on the latest episode of "Koffee with Karan", hosted by filmmaker Karan Johar.

During the conversation, Johar disclosed that he initially approached Tagore to portray a pivotal role in "Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani", which was eventually played by Shabana Azmi. He expressed his regret as Tagore couldn't accept the role due to health reasons.

Recalling the situation, Tagore, 79, explained that the offer came at the height of the pandemic, and she was unvaccinated and recovering from cancer treatment at that time. She expressed her concerns about taking risks during that period, declining the role due to potential health hazards.

"This is at the height of the pandemic. They hadn't grappled with Covid at that time. They didn't know about the vaccine, we were not vaccinated. You know, (it was) after my cancer. So, they didn't want me to take that risk," she said.

Despite not mentioning specifics about her battle with cancer, the veteran actress stressed that she didn't want to endanger herself during the uncertain times of the pandemic when the vaccine was not widely available.

Expressing her regret about missing out on Johar's movie, Tagore mentioned her hope to collaborate with the filmmaker in the future, emphasising that it would be something she aims to make up for.

Earlier this year, Sharmila Tagore made a comeback to acting through the family drama "Gulmohar", alongside Manoj Bajpayee. Directed by Rahul V Chittella, the film premiered on the Disney Hotstar streaming platform.

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Tagore, celebrated for her iconic performances in classics like Satyajit Ray's "The World of Apu" and Hindi blockbusters such as "Aradhana", "Amar Prem" and "Chupke Chupke", has continued to leave an indelible mark on Indian cinema.