Saif Ali Khan Faces Setback As MP High Court Reopens Bhopal Royal Inheritance Case
The court was responding to an appeal by heirs of Nawab Hamidullah Khan who challenged the earlier property distribution
In a significant development in the long-standing Bhopal royal family inheritance dispute, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has overturned a 25-year-old ruling by a Bhopal trial court, ordering the case to be heard afresh.
The court was responding to an appeal by heirs of Nawab Hamidullah Khan, who challenged the earlier property distribution that favoured Sajida Sultan, the Nawab's daughter from his senior wife and great-grandmother of actor Saif Ali Khan.
The original decision had awarded the ancestral estate to Sajida Sultan, but the other heirs have since contested this, arguing that the division should follow Muslim Personal Law.
The High Court has now directed the trial court to restart the proceedings from scratch and conclude the hearing within one year. The move could potentially reshape the inheritance structure of the Bhopal royal family, reigniting one of the most high-profile property disputes in recent memory.
Court Earlier Dismissed Saif's Petition
Actor Saif Ali Khan faces renewed legal trouble after the Madhya Pradesh High Court dismissed his long-standing petition against a government move to classify his family's ancestral properties in Bhopal as 'enemy property." The matter, rooted in a 2014 notice issued by the Custodian of Enemy Property Department, declared the Pataudi family's assets in Bhopal as falling under the Enemy Property Act.
Saif had contested the declaration in 2015 and secured a temporary stay from the High Court. However, in a major blow delivered on December 13, 2024, the court lifted the stay, dismissing his challenge. In its recent order, the court gave Saif and his family 30 days to approach the appellate tribunal to reclaim their rights over the property, but no claim has been filed within the stipulated time.
With the deadline now expired, the properties are legally eligible for government acquisition, and the Bhopal district administration may initiate the takeover process.
What Is Enemy Property?
The Enemy Property Act, enacted in 1958 and expanded after the 1965 India-Pakistan war, allows the Indian government to seize assets of individuals who migrated to Pakistan or China and ceased to be Indian citizens. Under this law, 'enemy property" includes land, buildings, and other holdings that once belonged to such individuals.
The Pataudi estate is entangled in this legislation due to Saif's great-grandmother, Abida Sultan—daughter of Nawab Hamidullah Khan, the last ruling Nawab of Bhopal—who moved to Pakistan after Partition and renounced her Indian citizenship. Saif Ali Khan is a direct descendant of the Nawab through Abida Sultan's sister, Sajida Sultan.
This ongoing dispute, coupled with a fresh court mandate in the separate Bhopal royal inheritance case, adds yet another legal layer to the complex legacy of the Pataudi family.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
42 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Lokesh Kanagaraj reacts to Rajinikanth's comment that ‘Coolie looked like Thalapathi to me': ‘Hearing him say those words…'
With exactly one month left for the worldwide release of director Lokesh Kanagaraj's 'Superstar' Rajinikanth-led action thriller Coolie, anticipation has already gone through the roof. One of the most awaited Indian movies of the year, Coolie not only marks the first collaboration between Rajinikanth and Lokesh but also features several massive stars, including Nagarjuna, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, Sathyaraj and Shruti Haasan, with a cameo appearance by Bollywood icon Aamir Khan. While Lokesh is busy giving the film its final touches, a remark made by 'Thalaivar' after watching a cut of Coolie has left him elated, confirming that what he set out to achieve has been accomplished. Mentioning that director Mani Ratnam's Thalapathi (1991) is his most favourite Rajinikanth film, Lokesh recently shared that what he tried to do in Coolie was emulate the same artistic and commercial balance that the 1991 gangster drama achieved. Also Read | Malayalam cinema's most beloved 'yakshi' took her own life at 22; was in Class 8 when she debuted 'After watching the film in the dubbing studio, he (Rajinikanth) hugged me and said, 'It looked like Thalapathi for me!' That made my day, and that was the night I slept very peacefully after many months. That is what I was telling my friends, too. If at all, I am doing a film with Rajini sir, it has to be somewhere close to Thalapathi. I cannot write a film on par with Mani sir's quality, as his film and writing is unmatched… But I get a little satisfaction when we compare that film with this one. Listening to the same words from Rajini sir was an achievement,' she shared during a chat with The Hollywood Reporter India. Opening up about his experience working with the ultimate superstar, Lokesh said: 'I loved writing for Rajini sir. I initially wrote a fantasy film for him, and he immediately said okay to it, but assembling it took so much time… it would've taken at least a year and a half to go ahead. You can write anything for the actor because he is larger than life. Even though I have tried a lot of new techniques and styles in the film, it will still be a Rajini sir film. I also don't want to change that.'
Indian Express
43 minutes ago
- Indian Express
A star beyond language and region: Legendary actor Saroja Devi dies
'Kappa, nimageke kodabeku kappa (Royalty, why should we pay the royalty)', the iconic dialogue by actor B Saroja Devi, playing freedom fighter Kittur Chennamma in the 1961 film by the same name, established her as one of the leading female stars of Kannada cinema. Only 23-year-old then, the young actor went on to become a legend in not just Kannada, but also Tamil, Telugu and Hindi films. B Saroja Devi, 87, died on Monday at her residence in Malleswaram following age-related illness. The doe-eyed beauty with over 200 films to her credit was one of the first Kannada actors to act in other language movies opposite biggest stars of that time. Saroja Devi was always up for learning new things, so much so that she opened her Instagram account at the age of 83 years (in 2021). Following her death, who's who of the film industry and political world took to social media to convey their condolences. Taking to X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called her an exemplary icon of Indian cinema and culture. 'Her diverse performances left an indelible mark across generations.' Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called her 'Abhinaya Saraswati' and said her departure is a great loss to the Indian cinema. Superstars Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Khushbu Sundar and others remembered her as a great artist who lived beyond the boundaries of 'language and region'. Born in a Vokkaliga family with her roots in Mandya district, Saroja Devi was the daughter of a police officer, Bhairappa. In those days, when women were not encouraged to act in movies, Bhairappa supported Saroja Devi to make her debut at the age of 17 opposite Dr Rajkumar, who went on to become another Kannada superstar, in 'Mahakavi Kalidasa' (1955). Her screen presence immediately captured the hearts of people and she started getting offers for Tamil films as well. In 1958, Saroja Devi played the female lead in 'Nadodi Mannan' opposite Tamil cinema legend M G Ramachandran (MGR) and later went on to give more than 20 back to back Tamil hits. It was not just MGR, she was cast with several other reigning superstars of the time, including Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan, Dr Rajkumar and N T Rama Rao (NTR). She became the face of 'Kittur Chennamma' in 1961 with her powerful dialogues as the Queen of Kittur fighting the British against royalty collection from princely states. In those days, it is said, when children were asked who Kittur Rani Chennamma was, they would instantly reply 'Saroja Devi'. Hindi film, 'Paigham' (1959), starring Dilip Kumar and Vyjayanthimala in lead roles, was a blockbuster hit and Saroja Devi, despite her 'bit role', managed to impress the audience and directors with her crackling screen presence. She went on to act in films like 'Sasural' (1961) with Rajendra Kumar, Beti Bete (1964) with Sunil Dutt and 'Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kiya' (1963) with Shammi Kapoor. She also acted in a few scenes with Raj Kapoor in 'Nazrana', but was later replaced by Vyjayanthimala reportedly over strict instructions of her mother, Rudramma, that she will not wear sleeveless dresses and swimwear. Saroja Devi made her Telugu film debut in 1957 in 'Panduranga Mahatyam', in which she starred alongside NTR and Akkineni Nageswara Rao. After her marriage to Sri Harsha, an engineer, Saroja Devi's appearance in movies declined in the 1970s, though she continued to act in Kannada, Telugu and Tamil films. Her acting career took a massive hit in 1986, after her husband fell ill while she was shooting a Kannada movie — 'Ladies Hostel'. People known to her say she did not visit guests for nearly one year after the demise of her husband as she did not want to show her face without kumkuma (vermillion) on her forehead. She was the first vice-president of Kannada film artists' association when Dr Rajkumar was its president. Despite working with many superstars in south India and in Hindi movies, Saroja Devi kept a low profile. She was given several offers to join political parties, but she chose to stay away from politics. Then Karnataka Chief Minister Gundu Rao made her an offer to contest from Malleswaram Assembly constituency on a Congress ticket, but she declined. Recognising her contribution to Indian cinema, the central government acknowledged her with Padma Shri (1969), Padma Bhushan (1992) and Lifetime Achievement Award during India's 60th Independence Day celebrations in 2008. She also won many state awards, including the prestigious Kalaimamani Lifetime Achievement award by the Tamil Nadu government in 2009. Umesh Banakar, president of the Kannada Film Producers Association, recalled Saroja Devi as an extremely disciplined and no-nonsense superstar. 'Be it a superstar or a commoner, no one could meet her without an appointment. She always arrived on time for any event. Some superstars used to turn up late but she never stayed back,' he said. A veteran photographer recalled that Saroja Devi was always conscious about her public appearance. During an interview at her residence, she asked him not to take photos from a low angle as it would expose her double chin. In 2019, Saroja Devi appeared for the last time in the late Puneeth Raj Kumar-starrer 'Natasaarvabhowma', a horror film by actor-producer Rockline Venkatesh.
United News of India
43 minutes ago
- United News of India
SC to hear plea against stay on 'Udaipur Files' release
New Delhi, July 14 (UNI) The producers of the movie 'Udaipur Files' moved the Supreme Court today challenging the Delhi High Court's order staying its release. The matter was mentioned today before a bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi by Senior Advocate Gaurav Bhatia, seeking urgent listing. The Court agreed to list the case for hearing within a day or two. On July 10, the Delhi High Court had directed the Central government to exercise its revisional powers under Section 6 of the Cinematograph Act to examine the movie. The order was passed on petitions, including one filed by Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind President Maulana Arshad Madani, seeking a ban on the film for allegedly vilifying Muslims. The movie is based on the murder of tailor Kanhaiya Lal Teli in Udaipur and was slated for release on July 11. The High Court bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Anish Dayal permitted the petitioners to approach the Central government within two days and stayed the release in the meantime. The Court directed that if approached, the Central government shall decide the revision petition within one week after giving the producer an opportunity to be heard. Earlier, the CBFC had informed the High Court that certain offending portions in the film had been removed. The Court then directed the producer to arrange a screening for Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Madani, and Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, appearing for CBFC. Following the screening, Sibal submitted before the High Court that he was appalled by the movie content, describing it as 'cinematic vandalism.' After a detailed hearing on July 10, the High Court stayed the release of the film while asking the petitioners to seek further relief from the Central government. The producers have now approached the Supreme Court against the stay order. UNI SNG RN
