The smile on her face, as she glances at the mirror, reveals that she’s happy with her appearance. Seated on a sofa in the lush lawns by the poolside, the soft-spoken actress turns out to be a photographer’s delight — she effortlessly smiles into the camera and even attempts humour to make it look natural.

An old couple at a distance nods in approval. “She’s beautiful like her mother (Sharmila Tagore),” gushes the wife. Comparisons are inevitable for someone with such strong lineage but Soha remains unperturbed. “There’s an inherent sense of security I grew up with. Comparisons and rat race don’t bother me,” she grins. But the actress acknowledges the mistakes she’s made in her career. “The first year was a disaster—in retrospect, I wasn’t focussing,” she says.

Needless to say, Soha’s moved on and is now looking forward to her next, Dil Kabbadi, which releases on December 5. Tugging at her skirt every now and then, still conscious about her appearance, she talks about her character in the film. “Mita, a cosmetic surgeon, is an introvert and very clinical — at work, at home and in bed — which lends a cold vibe to her relationship with her husband (Irrfan Khan).” The film’s about the power equations in a marriage but has been treated in a light-hearted way by director Anil Sharma. Soha is also excited about having had a chance to work with established actors like Konkana Sen Sharma, Rahul Khanna, Rahul Bose, and especially Irrfan. “I’m a huge fan of Irrfan. His acting is so effortless. I learnt from him not to fear looking foolish on screen.”

Otherwise known for her reservations about talking to the media, she’s unusually chatty today. And despite the constant interruptions by the make-up man, manager and staff, Soha maintains her poise and volunteers: “I’m a bundle of contradictions — I’m a private person, like my dad (M A K Pataudi) and sister (Saba), but I do have occasional outbursts of loquaciousness, a trait I inherit from my mother and share with Saif Ali Khan, where I give away too much about myself.”

Soha may be a potential heiress to the Pataudi estate but regrets her fear of riding a horse, one of the novelties of belonging to a royal family. “I’ve heard so many incidents that I get scared when I’m near a horse. But I’m not so bad at horse-riding,” she assures, glancing towards the club’s wide lawns longingly.

The actress, after concluding our meeting, headed for a meeting with a director and script reading. “The coming year will see a handful of my releases. UTV’s Dhoondte Reh Jaoge, a commercial film with Vishesh Films, a horror movie and a Bengali film by Aparna Sen.” With a mixed bag of commercial, comedy and regional films in her kitty, she feels her patience is paying off. But there’s something more that Soha wants to do apart from films. “I love theatre. It’s hugely fulfilling as you can see in the audience if they appreciate your work. I’ve done it at an amateur level but I go for plays as often as I can. It’s an issue of time and commitment. But if I get a chance, I’ll surely give it a shot.”