Soha Ali Khan recently reflected on her experience of growing up in a royal family. As the daughter of legendary cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and veteran actress Sharmila Tagore, Soha and her siblings Saba Pataudi and Saif Ali Khan, belong to the esteemed Pataudi lineage.
Soha Ali Khan shared that, despite their royal background, her father always emphasised the value of money. She revealed that Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi was quite mindful of expenses and often expressed concerns about the cost of petrol and electricity.
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During her appearance on The Quizzitok Podcast, Soha Ali Khan said, “He (Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi) was most concerned with the cost of petrol and electricity. We had one telephone in those times. There were no mobile phones, of course, so we had one telephone landline with a huge extension code that you had to follow the code to see who had the phone…My father would sit on top of that phone all day long. At night, when he went to bed, he would lock the phone. There was like one of those taalas and he would lock it, so we couldn't call our friends.”
Talking about how Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi was concerned about the cost of petrol and electricity, Soha Ali Khan added, “He would leave posted notes all over the house, saying ‘turn off the lights.' If I wanted to go to a friend's house, he would say, ‘No. Priyanka lives in Greater Kailash and you know petrol is very expensive.' So, we were very aware of the value of money.”
Recalling how her father taught her a lesson in investment at a young age, Soha Ali Khan said, “In fact when somebody gave me ₹500. I remember he said, ‘You can either have this ₹500 now.' This was in August, I don't know which year. He said, ‘You can give it to me and I will give you ₹50 every August for the rest of my life.' I said, ‘I would rather have the ₹500.' But I remember giving it to him and he did it. Till I was about 25 years old, he gave me ₹50 every August, and that was a lesson in investment and savings.'”
Soha Ali Khan shared that Mansoor Ali Khan was very mindful while shopping. He would stick to his list and never buy anything extra. Soha also mentioned her mother, Sharmila Tagore, diligently doing “hisab-kitab” with their cook.
Reflecting on her childhood, Soha said, “I understand that there was a privilege, but yet there was a sense of normalcy. I don't think I was spoiled, but I did enjoy being a princess.”
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