Saif Ali Khan is an Indian actor in Bollywood films. He is the son of the Nawab of Pataudi, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, and the actress Sharmila Tagore. He has two sisters; actress Saba Ali Khan and Soha Ali Khan. He is the heir apparent to the headships of both the royal houses of Bhopal and Pataudi.
Khan made his debut in 1992 with Parampara. He had his first major success with the 1994 films Main Khiladi Tu Anari and Yeh Dillagi. After going through several years of decline in the 1990s, he rose into prominence with his performance in Dil Chahta Hai (2001), which marked his professional turning point.
His performance in Nikhil Advani's Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) won him the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award, and he won the National Film Award for Best Actor for his performance in Hum Tum (2004). He then had commercial success with films like Salaam Namaste (2005), Race (2008) and Love Aaj Kal (2009), and starred in critically acclaimed projects such as Parineeta (2005) and Omkara (2006)
These successes put him among the most successful actors in the industry. Since 2009, Khan has branched out into film production. He is the founder-owner of his production company Illuminati Films.
Saif Ali Khan was born into a Muslim Pathan family of the Nawabs of Pataudi and the Bengali Tagore family of Bengal. His paternal grandfather, Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, was the Nawab of Pataudi as well as an accomplished cricketer who played for England and then for India as the captain of the team. His paternal grandmother was Sajida Sultan, Begum of Bhopal and his great-uncle was Pakistani general Nawabzada Sher Ali Khan Pataudi.
