Highlights
- Kareena Kapoor Khan wore a 200-year-old diamond kalgi on a beige turban for Diwali, an heirloom from Bhopal's royal family that Saif Ali Khan wore at their wedding in October 2012
- The kalgi has three feather motifs inspired by the Prince of Wales's feathers, a British royal emblem, set in diamonds and held together by rows of pearls
- She paired it with a necklace and the Begum of Bhopal's 30-carat emerald pendant, carved with the Ayat-ul-Kursi
- Stylist Rhea Kapoor shared the details behind the pieces
Kareena Kapoor Khan has put a piece of her husband's family history on her head for Diwali: the kalgi Saif Ali Khan wore on their wedding day.
What did Kareena Kapoor Khan wear for Diwali 2026?
On Diwali night, Sunday 8 November, the actor skipped the saree and lehenga. She wore a beige kaftan by designer Punit Balana, with real silver work, a V-shaped neckline and subtle pleating down the front. Over her open hair she wore a matching beige turban, with a diamond kalgi pinned at its centre. A kalgi is a jewelled plume or brooch worn on the front of a turban. Her make-up was dewy skin, smoky eyes and glossy nude lips, and she added several large diamond rings.
What is the 200-year-old kalgi, and whose was it?
According to the details shared by her stylist, Rhea Kapoor, the ornament is about 200 years old and belonged to the former ruling family of Bhopal. It was once worn by Nawab Hamidullah Khan, the last ruling Nawab of Bhopal, and was later passed to his daughter, Begum Sajida Sultan. She married Nawab Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi and was the mother of the cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, which makes her Saif Ali Khan's grandmother. The kalgi stayed in the family and eventually reached Saif, who wore it on his wedding day in October 2012.
| Who | Connection |
|---|---|
| Nawab Hamidullah Khan (1894-1960) | The last ruling Nawab of Bhopal, and the kalgi's reported earlier owner |
| Begum Sajida Sultan (1915-1995) | His second daughter, who succeeded him in 1960 and married into the Pataudi family |
| Saif Ali Khan | Her grandson, now the titular Nawab of Pataudi, who wore the kalgi at his wedding |
| Kareena Kapoor Khan | Wore it for Diwali 2026 |
Why does a Bhopal kalgi carry the Prince of Wales's feathers?
That part is intriguing. The kalgi features three feather motifs inspired by the Prince of Wales's feathers, the heraldic badge of the heir to the British throne. It is made of diamonds, with rows of pearls holding its structure together. The details shared so far do not explain why the design echoes a British royal emblem.
What is the Begum of Bhopal's 30-carat emerald pendant?
The kalgi was not the only heirloom. Kareena also wore a choker-style gold necklace with green accents, which fans recognised from her pre-wedding celebrations with Saif, paired with the Begum of Bhopal's 30-carat emerald pendant. According to Rhea Kapoor, the emerald is carved with the Ayat-ul-Kursi, the Throne Verse from the Quran. The details shared do not say which Begum owned it.
Why does the title 'Begum' mean so much in Bhopal?
Because for 107 years, Bhopal was ruled by women. Between 1819 and 1926, four female rulers, Qudsia Begum, Sikandar Begum, Shah Jahan Begum and Sultan Jahan Begum, governed the state, the second largest Muslim-ruled princely state in British India. The last, Sultan Jahan, abdicated in 1926 in favour of her son, Hamidullah Khan. After his death in 1960, his daughter Sajida Sultan was recognised as his successor.
The titles themselves no longer have legal status. The government derecognised the princely titles in 1971, but families keep them in use as ceremonial family titles. Saif has been the titular Nawab of Pataudi since 2011, when his father, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, died.
Who styled Kareena Kapoor Khan's Diwali look?
Rhea Kapoor, who shared the story of the heirlooms. The beige kaftan and turban gave the jewels room to stand out. After the festival, an online fashion commentator also circulated a video of the look, and noted that the kalgi had been worn before by Saif.
Was this Kareena Kapoor Khan's only Diwali look?
No. Days earlier, on Thursday 5 November, Kareena attended designer Manish Malhotra's annual Diwali party in Mumbai with Saif, in a champagne sequinned saree, while Saif wore a navy kurta and white trousers. On Diwali itself, she also posted a family picture with her sister Karisma and their parents, Randhir and Babita Kapoor. The kalgi look, though, is the one people are still talking about.
