Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan recently attended the Tiger Pataudi Memorial Lecture 2026, held in Kolkata, the hometown of his mother, Sharmila Tagore. The event was organised to honour his father and legendary cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi. During the event, Saif recalled how his father had a “different brand of confidence” and rarely spoke up at dinners and gatherings, often leaving Sharmila irritated.
Saif Ali Khan talks about his father
Saif hailed Tiger Pataudi as his “hero”, sharing that he could talk about him all night. Recalling memories with his father, he said, “I knew him respectfully as Abba, a man of very few words who somehow said everything to us as a family that mattered. He never raised his voice and was always there for us. He taught us to respect people at a very early age.”
The actor went on to speak about how his father rarely discussed his achievements at home. “At home, he rarely spoke about achievements. He rarely spoke about anything. My mother would be exasperated at dinners and gatherings, where people who knew less than him would be giving their opinions. He would say, ‘No one asked me,’ but he wouldn’t speak because no one had asked him. It was a very different brand of confidence,” Saif shared.
Saif added, “He believed in belief, instilling self-belief in Indian players who had never before been told they could dominate world cricket. At a time when Indian teams were expected merely to participate, he insisted they compete to win. That massive change in mindset, I think, was one of his greatest contributions.”
He further shared that had his father been alive today, he would probably have been “slightly embarrassed” by all the attention, but also “quietly pleased” that the conversation remained about cricket, ideas and the future.
About Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi
Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, fondly known as Tiger Pataudi, was one of India’s most iconic cricketers. Born in 1941, he became the youngest captain of the Indian Test cricket team at the age of 21 and played a major role in shaping India’s modern cricketing identity. Despite losing vision in one eye after a serious car accident in 1961, he continued to play brilliantly.
Saif Ali Khan’s upcoming work
Saif is currently seen in Kartavya. Helmed by Pulkit, the film also stars Rasika Dugal, Sanjay Mishra, Saurabh Dwivedi, Zakir Hussain and Swastik Bhagat in key roles. The film is available to stream on Netflix.
He will next be seen in Haiwaan. Directed by Priyadarshan, the film also stars Akshay Kumar and Saiyami Kher in key roles. The film is currently under post-production.