look news india
You must have heard many stories about the grandeur of Pataudi Palace in the city of Nawabs and in the corridors of Bollywood, but there is a very interesting story hidden behind this luxurious palace. While on one hand the owner of this huge palace is Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan, on the other hand his younger sister Soha Ali Khan is the owner of the part of this royal property which was once the generator room. Yes, it may sound strange, but today this generator room is no less than a luxury flat.
Interesting story of making 2BHK apartment from generator room
Soha Ali Khan recently revealed in an interview how she inherited this unique part. In fact, between 2005 and 2014, when Pataudi Palace was given on lease to ‘Neemrana Hotels’ chain, Soha’s parents i.e. Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and Sharmila Tagore needed a private place to live in the palace. At that time the old generator room of the Palace was modified and converted into a very beautiful and comfortable 2BHK apartment. Soha says, “My parents shifted to this place during the time of the hotel and today this beautiful property is mine, for which I bear the entire expense of its maintenance.”
There is no paint in the royal palace, even today it is whitewashed; Know why?
Despite being among the most expensive and famous royal houses of India, the Pataudi family believes in practicality more than ostentation. Soha told that even today her mother Sharmila Tagore herself keeps track of every penny of Pataudi Palace. To keep the budget under control, instead of expensive painting, traditional whitewashing (chuna) is done on the walls of this palace, because it is much cheaper. Over the years, no extravagance or new things have been purchased here, rather its old historical structure has been preserved.
Saif Ali Khan got his rights back by paying huge amount
After the death of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, Saif Ali Khan got the lease from the hotel chain terminated and after a deal worth crores of rupees, took complete control of this palace. According to Saif Ali Khan, his grandmother always said that this historical heritage should never be allowed to become a commercial hotel, because it has a glorious history of its own.
The history of Pataudi family is buried in this land.
For Saif and Soha, this palace is not just a luxurious bungalow but an ocean of emotions. The tombs of Saif-Soha’s grandparents and their father Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi are present in the premises of this palace. Today the palace is the private holiday home of the Pataudi family, which is sometimes rented out for the shooting of select Bollywood films and web series.