Saif Ali Khan, Soha Ali Khan‘s sister Saba Ali Pataudi has largely been away from the limelight despite being from a film family. While Saif and Soha chose to be actors like their mother Sharmila Tagore, Saba is a jewellery designer and the chief trustee of the Auqaf-e-Shahi (Royal Trust) which is a Rs 1000 crore legacy given to her by her father. Saba has remained single and in a recent interview, she opened up on her choice to not get married. She clarified that it wasn’t a conscious choice to not marry, but she never found the right person so far. She also said that she’s still game for marriage if she finds the right man.She explained that growing up with a father who taught her to be responsible and independent from an early age had influenced what she expected from a partner. She said in an interview with She The People, “I have not by choice remained single, I would have loved to have had a companion. But like I’ve quoted Tapsee before on an interview saying that you know when she said I need a man and not a boy, I think maybe I met a lot of boys and I also had a father who taught me how to be responsible and independent at a very early age. So I used to tell Abba, I said you’ve taught me to be different. I’m not adapting to somebody who doesn’t know what responsibility is.”Saba also believes that strong women continue to face challenges when it comes to finding compatible partners. However, she does not necessarily associate being single with loneliness. “The men still haven’t completely accepted strong women. So it is lonely but it depends on how you define lonely. Like I’m a person who can be left alone and be very happy in my space. I am a loner and can be but I’m not lonely. I see a lot of my friends you know reinventing themselves and having another relationship even at the age of 50. So there’s always a chance but not I will not compromise on just for the sake of marriage,” she said.She added further, “I don’t have to prove it to anyone. I need to feel like I’m in a relationship because I’m respected and cared for and it’s mutual. But more than chemistry I think there has to be a friendship that exists. Having a trustworthy partner you could talk to and relate to, so if I find someone like that, I’m still game.”Coming from a family where relationships and marriages have often attracted public attention, Saba was asked whether she ever feels singled out for remaining single while her siblings and other family members have found partners, especially when they get together as a family, she said, “Not really, we are all very close. I was introduced to people at the age of 18,19 and it crossed over to not having a partner for a long time. I’m proud the fact that they found their spouses and relationships. So, it’s all been very different.”Saba was asked whether friends or family members try to find someone for her, Saba revealed that her friends often wonder why they have not been able to introduce her to a suitable partner. She also shared why she believes her personality would not necessarily be compatible with someone like her brother Saif.“A lot of my friends say, they know so many people, how come they’ve not found you anyone. I’m like, ‘I don’t think I can handle a Saif in my life’.’When asked what she means by that, she elaborated, “He’s an extrovert, he’s got so much energy. I’m quite sober. I’m not that outgoing. I need someone low key, just have few friends at home, which now Bhai might be. But while growing up, he was very outgoing. I am so proud of him for that. I wouldn’t be able to handle someone with that personality and they would also not someone like me. I don’t think I would have found someone through them.”Saba also spoke warmly about her equation with the people her siblings have chosen as their partners, including Kareena Kapoor Khan, Amrita Singh and Kunal Kemmu. She said her relationships with them are independent of her equation with her siblings and that she shares a close bond with each of them.“But I’ve been supportive of both and I’ve gotten along their choices, be it Kunal or Bebo, even Amrita. I’ve had my own one-on-one relationship with each one of them. It’s not dependent on my brother or sister or mother. I have my own equation and we are close, I’m loyal. I’ll give Bebo a gift on her birthday or I call her if I need some advice. It’s a wonderful family dynamic, we are all very close.”Saba further explained that she does not believe being single makes her any less connected to her family. She shares a close bond with her nieces and nephews and enjoys being involved in their lives.“I don’t think being single matters and all their kids, according to me are mine. I’m hands on with them, like with gifting, pampering, I’ll be like send them home.” While her family may have assumed that she will remain single, Saba made it clear that she has not ruled out finding a partner in the future. She added that she would be happy to introduce someone special to her family if the right person came along.“Tomorrow if I have a partner I’d love to see their reaction but I think they’ve assumed that at the age of 50, I’ll be single. But according to me, don’t assume it. You’ve no idea, what, when who I might be meeting. There are secrets which we all keep till it’s time to divulge. But there’s no secret, to be specific.”
