- Saif Ali Khan never pressured first wife Amrita Singh to convert to Islam
- Saif and Amrita's quick wedding involved both a maulvi and a Sikh priest
- Saif babysat his children when Amrita visited the Gurdwara for prayers
Saif Ali Khan, married to Kareena Kapoor since 2012, has never shied away from discussing his first marriage to Amrita Singh, their divorce, and perceptions of religion in inter-faith marriage.
The 13-year age gap between Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh, along with their whirlwind romance and impromptu wedding, still astonishes fans across generations.
While Saif's mother, Sharmila Tagore, converted to Islam after marrying his father, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, Saif never pressured his first wife, Amrita, to convert.
"Dingy was never compelled to convert to Islam or forced to practice the religion. Right from the beginning, it was 'to each his own.' Even when my kids Sara and Ibrahim were growing up, I strictly followed that principle," Saif told The Siasat Daily in a 2010 interview.
Saif also shared that he used to babysit Sara and Ibrahim when Amrita visited the Gurdwara. "When Dingy went for her regular prayer visits to the Gurdwara—the temple of the Sikh community—I babysat them and continued doing so on such occasions," he added.
After Divorce from Amrita, Saif Worried About Kids' Religious Identities
"But when we separated, I was more worried about Sara and Ibrahim, who were then in Dingy's custody. I trusted her completely and was sure she wouldn't influence them religiously," Saif said, adding that he had been concerned about their religious identities after divorce.
What Happened on the Day Saif Married Amrita
Ace designer duo Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla revealed details of the couple's quick wedding, including how a maulvi and a Sikh priest performed the rituals.
Speaking to Namrata Zakaria on her YouTube channel, they said, "We signed as witnesses at their nikaahnama. One fine day, they came to us and said, 'We want to get married now!' It was Saif; Dingy was still undecided. They had been in love and living together for six or eight months. He was ready; she was yes-no, yes-no. We lived in one room at the time. We went to a friend's place—she was single and had a beautiful apartment. Abu and I dressed Dingy, and we called a maulvi, of course."
They continued, "There was also a sardarji pandit there. She got ready in whatever fit, as there was no time. Fortunately, she got fantastic jewelry from her mother. Saif wore a bandhgala. Then the maulvi said, 'What is your name? It has to start with A.' We all looked at each other, and the pandit suggested 'Aziza.' It was a runaway bride moment—insane. Driving back, her mother called... Eventually, they took it in stride."
On the work front, Saif Ali Khan will next be seen in the Netflix film Hum Hindustani, written and directed by Rahul Dholakia. The film traces the tale of India's first election.
