Why Saif Ali Khan Doesn’t Paint Pataudi Palace – Soha Ali Khan Spills the Beans on Sharmila Tagore’s ‘Hisab-Kitab’

Soha Ali Khan recently shared interesting details about her family’s royal heritage and their connection to the historic Pataudi Palace. In an interview on the Housing.com YouTube channel with Cyrus Broacha, she spoke about the palace, its maintenance, and her mother Sharmila Tagore’s meticulous oversight of expenses.

The Royal Heritage of Pataudi Palace

Soha Ali Khan comes from the royal Pataudi family, and the Pataudi Palace is an important part of their legacy. During the conversation, she revealed that while the palace is now mainly owned by her brother, Saif Ali Khan, the entire family remains connected to it. She humorously mentioned that the family doesn’t get the palace painted but prefers to have it whitewashed because it is less expensive. This small but telling detail gives insight into how the family manages the upkeep of their ancestral home.

Sharmila Tagore's Role in Managing Palace Expenses

One of the most interesting aspects Soha revealed is that her mother, veteran actress Sharmila Tagore, still keeps a close eye on the palace’s daily and monthly expenses. “My mother sits with her hisaab-kitaab (account books), and she knows all the daily and monthly expenditure,” Soha explained. This hands-on approach to managing the palace shows how the family, despite their royal lineage, remains grounded and mindful of costs.

Soha added that the family hasn’t bought any new furniture or objects for the palace in a long time. Instead, it’s the architecture of the place that draws people in. “It’s not the things or the objects that make the palace special, it’s the architecture,” she emphasized.

The History and Legacy of Pataudi Palace

Soha shared some fascinating stories about the palace’s history, revealing that she was born after the abolition of privy purses and royal titles in 1970. Her brother, Saif Ali Khan, was born the same year and is considered the last prince in their family. With royal titles came both responsibilities and significant expenses. Soha joked that her grandfather, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, who was a competitive sportsman, might have built the palace in part to impress his father-in-law. However, the construction ran out of funds, and many areas of the palace were left unfinished, with cement flooring covered by carpets instead of marble.

Soha’s Role in the Palace

Interestingly, Soha also revealed that she is responsible for maintaining the palace’s ‘generator room,’ which is actually a two-bedroom apartment. This space was transformed when her parents needed a place to stay after the palace was leased to Neemrana Hotels. The generator room became a comfortable living space for them during their visits. Soha also touched on Saif Ali Khan’s previous comments about having to buy the palace back after it was leased to a hotel chain. The family now uses the palace as a vacation home, and they also rent it out for film productions. The palace has served as a stunning backdrop for recent projects, including Saif’s series Tandav and the movie Animal. The Pataudi Palace holds great historical and emotional value for the Khan family. Despite their royal heritage, the family approaches its maintenance with practicality and care. Soha’s reflections offer a glimpse into the family's connection to their past and how they continue to honor it while adapting to modern realities.