Saif Ali Khan says he earned back Pataudi Palace with money he made in films: ‘There is history, culture, but no inheritance’

Saif Ali Khan has revealed that despite being called a ‘Nawab’ most of the times, the actor had to earn back his Pataudi Palace after it was rented to a hotel chain post the death of his father Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi. The actor is currently basking in the success of Sacred Games season 2 and has several promising films in his kitty.

Opening up on how he paid a lot of money to earn back the Pataudi Palace, Saif told Mid-Day in an interview, “People have a certain fixed notion. For that matter, even [with] Pataudi [palace], when my father [Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi] died, it got rented to Neemrana Hotels. Aman [Nath] and Francis [Wacziarg] used to run [the hotel]. Francis passed away. He’d said that if I wanted [the palace] back, I could let him know. I said: ‘I want it back’. They held a conference, and said, ‘okay, you have to give us lots of money!’ Which I then consequently earned.”

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He added, “So, even the house I’m supposed to have inherited has been earned back through money from films. You can’t live off the past. At least we can’t in our family, because there was nothing. There is history, culture, beautiful photographs; and, of course, some land. It has been a privileged upbringing. But there’s been no inheritance.”

Talking about his childhood, the actor said, “I was born and even raised in Bombay. My father lived with my mother in her [Carmichael Road] flat... He had just finished playing cricket. His last Test series was when I was four/five. My mother [actor Sharmila Tagore] says he was bunking his responsibilities. His mother was looking after things in Bhopal and Pataudi. She’d got old. So we moved to Delhi to live with her.”

Saif and wife Kareena Kapoor, along with their son Taimur, often join Sharmila Tagore at the Pataudi Palace. Kareena had celebrated her birthday this year at the palace in the company of the Khans and sister Karisma Kapoor.

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Saif is all set to be seen in his first historical, Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior. Ajay Devgn released his character poster last month describing him as “Might that cut deeper than a sword...” Saif plays Uday Bhan in the film directed by Om Raut.

Saif has already wrapped up the shooting of his next, Jawaani Jaaneman. It also stars Tabu, Pooja Bedi’s daughter Alaia Furniturewala and Kubbra Sait and is scheduled to hit theatres by the end of this month.

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