Saif Ali Khan calls Rs 800 crore price tag of Pataudi Palace ‘a massive exaggeration’
Earlier, there were reports that actor Saif Ali Khan bought back his ancestral house Pataudi Palace for Rs 800 crore after the death of his father Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi. The actor had claimed that he has to earn his house back and it was not inherited by him. However, rubbishing the ‘price tag,’ the actor clarified that the cost of the house is ‘a massive exaggeration’ and that he did not buy it back but had to take care of some financial arrangements to get possession. Saif revealed that he already owned the property which was given on lease to Neemrana Group.
Talking to Mumbai Mirror, Saif Ali Khan revealed, “It’s impossible to put a value to it in monetary terms because emotionally, the property is priceless. My grandparents and father are buried there, there’s security, serenity and a spiritual connection there for me. The land goes back by a few centuries, but the palace that my grandfather built for my grandmother is around a hundred years old. He was the ruling monarch then, but since then, privy purses and titles have been abolished. These are different times which is why my father leased it out and Francis (Wacziarg) and Aman (Nath), who ran a hotel in the palace, took good care of the property and were like family. My mother (Sharmila Tagore) has a cottage there and she was always comfortable.”
“So, when I was offered the chance, I wrapped up the lease that was left, paid up and took possession of our home again. It was a fair financial arrangement and contrary to reports, I did not have to buy it back because I already owned it. In my teenage years, I was the black sheep, so, it feels nice now to do this for the family and our heritage,” he added.
Saif along with wife Kareena Kapoor Khan and son Taimur are frequently seen flying to their ancestral house for small getaways. Describing the house, Saif had said that the house is a largish, colonial, Lutyens Delhi-syle country home. It has seven bedrooms and gardens. Talking about the same, Saif had told Mid-Day, “There is history, culture, beautiful photographs; and, of course, some land. It has been a privileged upbringing. But there’s been no inheritance.”
Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan are expecting their second baby soon. The duo got married on this day eight years ago, and recently celebrated their wedding anniversary. The couple came close while working together in the 2008 release, “Tashan”. Although the film failed to create fireworks at the box office, it ignited the sparks for Saif and Kareena, who would eventually get married in 2012 after a period of courtship. They have a son Taimur, who was born on December 20, 2016.
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