Mumbai: In a stunning turn of events, Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan has reportedly faced a significant personal and financial setback as the Indian government has seized ancestral properties valued at nearly ₹15,000 crore, once belonging to the royal Pataudi family.
The action, as per government sources, was carried out under the Enemy Property Act, a law that allows the Indian government to appropriate properties belonging to individuals who migrated to enemy nations such as Pakistan or China, following partition or subsequent conflicts.
The seized assets include sprawling estates, palatial properties, and prime real estate linked to the princely Nawabs of Pataudi, from whom Saif Ali Khan descends. The actor, who holds the title of the 10th Nawab of Pataudi by lineage, is the son of the late cricketer and former Nawab Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and veteran actress Sharmila Tagore.
What Triggered the Seizure?
According to legal experts familiar with the matter, the dispute had been brewing for years, rooted in documentation suggesting that some members of the Pataudi family had ancestral connections to individuals who allegedly migrated to Pakistan during or after partition. Though Saif’s immediate family remained in India and continued contributing to public life, certain branches of the family tree—now scrutinized under the Act—became the basis of the government’s intervention.
The Enemy Property Act, originally passed in 1968 and amended in 2017, empowers the Custodian of Enemy Property for India to vest and manage such properties on behalf of the government. It also bars successors or legal heirs from reclaiming ownership, making the latest action nearly irreversible unless challenged and overturned in court.
Legacy at Stake
The Pataudi family’s royal estate, with deep historical roots in Haryana, Bhopal, and other northern territories, includes assets that hold not only monetary value but immense cultural and heritage significance. Over the years, many of these properties were believed to be preserved or used for private family purposes, though some reportedly remained entangled in legal ambiguities regarding ownership and succession.
Industry and Public Reaction
While Saif Ali Khan has not issued a public statement yet, the entertainment industry and media circles are abuzz with speculation. Social media is flooded with mixed reactions—some expressing sympathy for the actor’s loss, others raising questions about the legal complexities of inherited wealth tied to royal and colonial-era legacies.
Senior advocates say the actor may still have legal recourse depending on the specific lineage links cited by the government, and whether a portion of the property can be proven to have been continuously held and maintained within Indian jurisdiction since Independence.
A Royal Blow
For Saif Ali Khan—whose life has long straddled the glamour of Bollywood and the gravity of princely lineage—this incident marks a deeply personal and public challenge. If the seizure is upheld, it would represent one of the largest high-profile enforcements of the Enemy Property Act in recent history.
This story is still developing, and all eyes are on how the actor, known for his composed public image, will respond to this dramatic turn of events.
