The Singh house showed to belong to Ranbir Kapoor and Anil Kapoor in Animal actually belongs to a popular Bollywood star
If you watched Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal this weekend and thought that the white mansion serving as Ranbir Kapoor and Animal Kapoor’s house in the film looks familiar, you are not mistaken. The big palace has not just been used in several films and web series over the years but is, in fact, owned by one of the most popular Bollywood stars today – Saif Ali Khan. Yes, the building doubling up as the Singh family residence in Animal is indeed the Pataudi Palace, Saif’s ancestral home and erstwhile seat of the Nawab of Pataudi.
Animal’s connection with the Pataudi Palace
Many eagle-eyed fans noted that the checquered floor of the corridor in Animal, which is seen prominently in the trailer as well, is identical to the corridor in which Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor have posed several times on their trips to Pataudi. Kareena, in particular, has posted several pics from the palace on her Instagram over the years, and viewers found several similarities in many spots in the film. Many Twitter users have shared some pictures with side-by-side comparisons of film stills with actual pictures from the Pataudi Palace.
History of the Pataudi Palace
Pataudi Palace is also called Ibrahim Kothi and it was built in the early 20th century when Saif’s grandfather and former Indian cricketer Nawab Ifthikar Ali Khan Pataudi married the begum of Bhopal, merging the two families. The nawab felt that the existing family home was too below the stature of his new bride and hence architect Robert Tor Russell was commissioned to design the palace in the style of colonial-era mansions. The Pataudi Palace is currently the residence of the erstwhile royal family during the winters.
When Saif Ali Khan had to ‘buy’ Pataudi Palace back
After the death Saif’s father Mansoor Ali Khan in 2011, the palace was rented to Neemrana Hotels. As per an HT report, Francis Wacziarg and Aman Nath, owners of the Neemrana Hotels network and the late nawab had worked out a 17-year lease before the latter’s death. In an interview to India Today, Saif recalled, “Francis passed away. He’d said that if I wanted (the palace) back, I could let him know. I said that I want it back. They held a conference, and said, okay, you have to give us lots of money.”
Over the years, Saif earned throug his films to buy back his ancestral property, something he eventually managed by 2014. “The house I’m supposed to have inherited has been earned back through money from films. You can’t live off the past. At least we can’t in our family, because there was nothing,” the actor added.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Ranbir Kapoor in Animal")
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}