As the current patriarch of the Pataudi family, Saif Ali Khan upholds the family’s values, and ensures the name remains relevant in public life.
One of India's most loved actors, Saif Ali Khan, turns a year older on August 16. And it can be rightly said that he is one of those rare figures in Indian cinema who effortlessly straddles two very different worlds – the Bollywood glamour and his royal heritage. Apart from a Bollywood career that continues to evolve, Saif also carries an identity of the current Nawab of Pataudi, the custodian of legacy rooted in history, aristocracy, and cultural pride.
For those caught unaware, his Pataudi lineage is one of the most illustrious in India. His grandfather, Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, was the eighth Nawab of Pataudi. He has represented both India and England in cricket. Saif’s father, the legendary Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, captained the Indian cricket team at just 21, and still remains famous not just for his game but for his quiet leadership.
Mansoor Ali Khan’s marriage to Sharmila Tagore, a leading actress of her time, amalgamated culture, legacy, history, sports, and cinema in a way that was not seen earlier.
Saif’s father Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi passed away in 2011, and after that, the actor was ceremoniously conferred the title of 10th Nawab of Pataudi in a traditional ceremony in Haryana. While India no longer recognizes royal titles legally, the weight of being a Nawab remains culturally and socially, and Saif has embraced it wholeheartedly.
Unlike his predecessors, Saif is an actor, and not a cricketer or statesman. But, he has made sure to honour the legacy of his family by preserving the family estate, and by being a bridge between tradition and modernity. As the current patriarch of the Pataudi family, he is seen as someone who upholds the family’s values, and ensures the name remains relevant in public life.
The Pataudi Palace, a vast estate in Haryana, was once leased to a hotel chain. However, Saif grabbed attention when he bought it back and restored it to the family. Now The Pataudi Palace is not only a private retreat but also serves as a filming location. It is also a symbol of Saif’s quiet reclamation of legacy.
Moving ahead, Saif, who is a father to four children, remains at the center of a family that draws public interest. His elder daughter and son, Sara Ali Khan and Ibrahim Ali Khan, have entered the film industry, while his sons with Kareena Kapoor Khan — Taimur and Jeh — are among the most loved celebrity kids in the country.
Through them, the Pataudi name will continue to flourish in public imagination. Saif is certainly a modern-day Nawab as he respects his past but allows his family and children to find their own paths.
Saif's filmography too mirrors the duality of his life. He has played characters which are elite and accessible, yet adventurous. Be it playing a gangster, a nawab, or a quirky chef, he commands an unique charisma, which certainly comes from his royal bearing and cultivated taste.
On his birthday, it would not be wrong to say that Saif Ali Khan is much more than just a Bollywood actor or a star kid. He is a modern custodian of one of India’s most celebrated families, and by restoring the Pataudi name, he has embraced his role as patriarch, while continuing to evolve as an artist.
