On 20th August, veteran actor Sharmila Tagore sparked a controversy with her pro-Islamist remarks on Vande Mataram by saying that while the first two stanzas can be accepted by people from different faiths, some of the later verses may be difficult for those who believe in one God. The comments made by Sharmila Tagore have received strong criticism from actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut.
“Vande Mataram is difficult to recite for those who believe in one God” says actress Sharmila Tagore, mother of Saif Ali Khan
— Tushar ॐ♫₹ (@Tushar_KN) August 20, 2026
On a daily basis, Hindus are subjected to hearing 5 daily Namaz prayers
How many times will only Hindus have to make sacrifices to please and appease… pic.twitter.com/TBDRijDSdT
Speaking to IANS, Tagore said, “My point of view is that there are many religious people who believe in one single God, not many Gods. In Vande Mataram, there is a stanza which says that many Gods are mentioned in Vande Mataram.”
Explaining her point, she added, “It is difficult for those who believe in one religion to say, ‘Vande Kali, Vande Durga’. Therefore, if we take all the religious people in India together, the first two stanzas are very good.”
The first two stanzas of the song describe and praise the motherland. The later verses refer to Hindu goddesses such as Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. These references have led to discussions over whether the complete poem can be equally accepted by people following different religions.
It may also be noted that Sharmila Tagore converted to Islam to marry former Indian cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi.
Kangana Ranaut slams Sharmila Tagore
Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut responded to Tagore’s comments by sharing a video of the interview on her Instagram Stories. While respecting Tagore’s right to express her opinion, Kangana said she was surprised by what she felt was a limited interpretation of the poem.
Kangana wrote, “I appreciate that Sharmila ji has spoken about her reservation on Vande Mataram, but I am shocked as an artist how can her views on art/poetry can be so limiting and contrived, in any poetry or song words are metaphors, a poet or artist uses all kinds of imaginations draws unbelievable parallels to bring about the desirable effect, Vande Matram is the spirit of freedom struggle Bankim Chandra ji is compelling the nation to awaken the Shakti within, how can you reduce such a great piece of art to mere religious practice.”
She further said that references to Shakti in poetry can represent strength and power rather than only having a religious meaning. Referring to Swami Vivekananda, Kangana wrote that his call for youth with “iron” bodies, “steel” bones and “thunderbolt” in their veins was a call for inner strength, not a weather forecast.
Kangana also urged people to move beyond a “Hindu-Muslim mindset”. She said that even when people believe in one God, the word Shakti can be understood as power and strength, and called for people to “embrace each other like our own”.
How the Vande Mataram controversy began
The latest discussion gained attention after footage from the Congress headquarters during the Independence Day celebrations on 15th August. The complete version of Vande Mataram was being sung at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters when Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi were seen conversing.
The video also showed Sonia Gandhi appearing uncomfortable during the recitation and making repeated gestures to stop it. The footage triggered a political discussion over the singing of the complete version of the national song.
The controversy has now brought renewed attention to the debate over the different verses of Vande Mataram, their meaning and how the song should be viewed in a country with people belonging to different religious backgrounds.
