You’ve probably seen it on Instagram. Or maybe you caught a glimpse of those sweeping white corridors in a Bollywood blockbuster like Animal or Veer-Zaara. It’s a place that feels like a fever dream of old-world India mixed with British colonial grit. But honestly, Pataudi House in Haryana—more famously known as the Pataudi Palace—is way more than just a fancy backdrop for Saif Ali Khan’s winter vacations.
Most people think it’s just another inherited royal estate. It isn't. Not exactly.
There is a weird, almost cinematic backstory to how this place even exists, and an even stranger one about how the family almost lost it forever. If you're planning to drive down or just want the real tea on what goes on behind those massive iron gates, let’s get into the details that the glossy travel brochures usually skip.
The Real Story Behind the White Walls
The palace wasn't built just because the Nawabs needed a place to sleep. It was actually a "flex."
Back in the early 1900s, the Pataudi family lived in a place called Akbar Manzil. It was nice, sure, but it wasn't grand. When Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi (the 8th Nawab and a legendary cricketer) wanted to marry Sajida Sultan, the Begum of Bhopal, her father apparently wasn't impressed with the family's living situation.
The story goes that the Nawab of Bhopal thought Akbar Manzil was way too small for his daughter.
Iftikhar Ali Khan didn't just take the "no" and walk away. He decided to build something so massive it couldn't be ignored. He brought in Robert Tor Russell—the same guy who designed Connaught Place in Delhi—and Karl Malte von Heinz. They finished it around 1935. It was designed to look like a colonial mansion, specifically modeled after the Imperial Hotel in Delhi.
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Funny enough, he actually ran out of money during construction. That’s why if you ever get inside, you’ll notice some floors are gorgeous marble while others are just plain cement. It’s a very human touch in a place that looks otherwise perfect.
Pataudi House in Haryana: Can You Actually Visit?
This is where most people get disappointed.
For about a decade, between 2005 and 2014, you could actually book a room here. The late Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi (Tiger Pataudi) had leased the property to Neemrana Hotels. It was a luxury heritage hotel where anyone with a fat enough wallet could sleep in a royal bedroom.
But things changed.
When Saif Ali Khan took over as the patriarch, he decided he wanted his home back. He didn't just inherit it, though. Because of the lease and some complicated legal stuff, he basically had to buy his own ancestral home back from the hotel group.
Is it open to the public today? Basically, no. It is now a private residence.
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Unless you are a Bollywood A-lister or part of the inner circle, you aren't getting past the security for a tour. However, the family does rent it out for film shoots. If you see it on screen in movies like Rang De Basanti or Eat Pray Love, you’re looking at the real deal.
Why the Location Matters
Pataudi is a small town in the Gurugram district. It’s about 60 kilometers from Delhi.
The contrast is wild. One minute you’re in the dusty, chaotic streets of a Haryana town, and the next, you’re staring at 10 acres of manicured lawns and 150 rooms of silence.
Inside the 800-Crore Ibrahim Kothi
The locals call it Ibrahim Kothi. The valuation of this place is staggering—roughly ₹800 crore. But what does that actually buy you?
- 150 Rooms: This includes seven main bedrooms, seven dressing rooms, and seven billiard rooms. Why seven? Who knows. Maybe it was a lucky number.
- The Long Room: Saif has mentioned in interviews that he hates the term "Darbar Hall." He calls the main hall the "Long Room," a nod to the famous hall at Lord’s Cricket Ground. It’s filled with his father’s and grandfather’s cricket memorabilia.
- The Grounds: 10 acres is a lot of grass. It includes a massive swimming pool, stables, and a farm.
- The Graves: This is the part that makes it a true "home" for the family. Both Tiger Pataudi and his father are buried on the grounds. It’s a very quiet, sacred space for the family, which is why they are so protective of it now.
The interiors aren't just "gold and glitter." Under the guidance of designer Darshini Shah, the palace was refurbished to feel like a home. Think large Persian rugs, checkered marble floors (very iconic), and walls covered in old black-and-white family photos. It’s more "old English countryside" than "extravagant Indian palace."
The Film Connection: A Living Set
Even though you can't stay there, you've definitely "visited" it through your screen.
In the movie Animal, the palace serves as the sprawling, tense home of Ranbir Kapoor’s character. The scene where he walks down the long, blood-stained corridor? That’s a real hallway in the Pataudi House.
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In Veer-Zaara, it doubled as a house in Pakistan. In Tandav, Saif’s own political thriller, it played... well, a palace. Filmmakers love it because it has a "lived-in" royal feel that a studio set just can't replicate. The light that hits those arched verandas in the winter is apparently a cinematographer's dream.
What to Do if You’re in the Area
So, if you can't go inside, why bother going to Pataudi?
Well, if you're a history buff or a fan of the royal family, the town itself has a certain vibe. You can see the exterior of Akbar Manzil, the original family home. It’s mostly in ruins now or used for government work, but the architecture still hints at what it once was.
The town of Pataudi is also near the Sultanpur National Park, which is a great spot for bird watching if you’re already making the trip from Delhi or Gurgaon.
Some Quick Facts to Keep Straight:
- Ownership: It is owned by Saif Ali Khan, not the government.
- Name: Officially "Ibrahim Kothi," but search for "Pataudi Palace" on maps.
- Renovations: Sharmila Tagore (Saif’s mother) reportedly handles a lot of the "hisaab-kitaab" and maintenance. She spends a significant amount of time there away from the Mumbai madness.
- Cost: Maintaining a 150-room palace in the dusty Haryana climate is a nightmare. Saif has joked about the insane cost of just keeping the white paint looking white.
Final Insights for the Curious
If you were hoping to stay the night, you’re about a decade too late. But understanding Pataudi House in Haryana as a symbol of a family reclaiming its history is pretty cool. It’s one of the few royal properties that was "lost" to the commercial world and then brought back into the family fold by a son who earned the money to buy it.
If you’re driving through Haryana:
- Don't try to trespass. Security is tight, and it's a private residence.
- Do check out the Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary nearby. It's a solid 2-hour detour.
- Visit during winter. The Haryana summer is brutal, but a sunny afternoon in December makes the white architecture of the palace glow.
Check out the local markets in Pataudi town for some authentic Haryanvi food before you head back to the city. It's a starkly different world just outside those palace gates.