Actor and producer Saif Ali Khan has a very noble lineage coming from the Nawab of Pataudi. His rise to fame in Bollywood as an actor saw him get numerous awards and nominations in the early 1990’s making his popularity increase manifold. In 2009, he opened his own production house called Illuminati Films.

D.O.B: August 16, 1970

Real name: Sajid Ali Khan

Marital Status: Married Amrita Singh (1991-2004), currently married to Kareena Kapoor since 16 October 2012

Place of Birth: New Delhi, India

Family: Father was cricket player Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, and mother Sharmila Tagore was a popular actress. He has two children from his first wife, daughter Sara Ali Khan (born September 1993), and son Ibrahim Ali Khan (born March 2001), who live with their mother.

Recognitions

Padma Shri in 2010

Awards

Filmfare Awards

Best Male Debut Award- Aashiq Awara (1994)

Best Comedian Award- Dil Chahta Hai (2002)

Best Supporting Actor Award- Kal Ho Naa Ho (2004)

Best Comedian Award- Hum Tum (2005)

Best Villain Award- Omkara (2007)

National Film Award for Best Actor- Hum Tum(2005)

IIFA Awards

Best Supporting Actor Award- Dil Chahta Hai (2002)

Best Supporting Actor Award- Kal Ho Naa Ho (2004)

Best Villain Award- Omkara (2007)

Zee Cine Awards

Best Actor in a Supporting Role- Dil Chahta Hai (2002)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role- Kal Ho Naa Ho (2004)

Best Actor in a Negative Role- Omkara (2007)

Star Screen Awards

Best Supporting Actor- Dil Chahta Hai (2002)

Best Supporting Actor- Kal Ho Naa Ho (2004)

Best Villain- Omkara (2007)

Best Supporting Actor- Aarakshan (2012)

Stardust Awards, Best Actor in a Negative Role- Omkara (2007)

Rajiv Gandhi Award for Achievement in Films (2008)

Early Life

Saif Ali Khan was born in Delhi to the Nawab of Pataudi and well-known actor SharmilaTagore. His father, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi was a former captain of the Indian cricket team. Saif’s paternal great uncle was Sher Ali Khan Pataudi, who served the British Indian Army and became a general in the Pakistani army following the partition of India. The titular title of Nawab ended in 1971 when the Indian Government abolished the remuneration and privy purses of Princes. Saif Ali Khan’s mother, Sharmila Tagore, converted to Islam before her marriage and was renamed Begum Ayesha Sultana. Saif has two siblings, one of whom is actor Soha Ali Khan. In his early years, Saif studied at Lawrence School, Sanawar and moved on to England to study at Lockers Park School, Hertfordshire and then on to Winchester College.

Entry into Bollywood

Saif Ali Khan made his debut in Yash Chopra’s film Parampara, in 1992. In the following year, he went on to win his Filmfare Best Male Debut Award for the 1993 movie Aashiq Awara that incidentally also starred his mother Sharmila Tagore. Saif’s major success came with the hit film Yeh Dillagi (1994) which starred Akshay Kumar and Kajol. In this period, his multi starrer hit films included Main Khiladi Tu Anari (1994), Imtihaan (1994), Kachche Dhaage (1999), and Hum Saath- Saath Hain (1999). His next hit film was Kya Kehna in 2000.

The millennium years saw Saif rise to prominence with Farhan Akhtar’s Dil Chahta Hai in 2001. The film saw Saif winning a Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor and a Filmfare Award for Best Comedian. The film had many memorable numbers like Jaane Kyon, Woh Ladki Hai Kahan, and Tanhayee. The song Jaane Kyon, used various instruments like the Didgeridoo, an Australian wind instrument developed 1500 years ago, besides the traditional Dholak, Tabla, Kanjira and Flute.

Soon the awards came flowing in for Saif, with a Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor in Kal Ho Na Ho and the National Film Award for Best Actor in Hum Tum (2004). He enjoyed other hit films like Salaam Namaste (2005), Parineeta (2005), and Race (2008).

By 2009, Saif started his own film production company called Illuminati Films, which made its debut film called Love Aaj Kal, which featured a popular number Aahun Aahun. The movie was also nominated for Filmfare’s Best Film Award.

The next film was Agent Vinod in 2012, which ran into controversies as Saif Ali Khan had brawl with businessperson Iqbal Meer Sharma before its release, which some claimed was a publicity stunt. Some reports suggest that an RTI activist has demanded in his complaint that Saif’s 2010 Padma Shri honour be taken away from him for this incident as a Mumbai Court has framed charges against him.

Next up, was the film Cocktail in 2012, followed by the hit film Go Goa Gone, which featured a popular song Babaji Ki Booti and was the first zombie horror comedy film ever produced in Bollywood. In 2014, he played a comedian triple role in the movie Humshakals.

Illuminati Film’s upcoming releases include Happy Ending and Badlapur.