Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri recently addressed the controversy surrounding the naming of Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan’s son, Taimur. The name sparked significant backlash due to its association with the historical figure Timur, a 14th-century conqueror who invaded Delhi. Agnihotri, known for his outspoken views, stated that no Indian should name their child after such a figure, who he described as a “murderous invader.”

In an interview on The Raunac Show, Agnihotri was asked if the reference in his recently released trailer for The Bengal Files was directed at Saif and Kareena’s son. He clarified that he wasn’t targeting anyone personally but reiterated his stance on the matter. He explained, “A lot of people are named Taimur. (Saif) wasn’t the first person to name his child Taimur. Let me explain. When I went to shoot The Tashkent Files in Samarkand, I visited Taimur’s tomb. Outside it, it is written, ‘He conquered the richest sultanate in the world.’ This was the Delhi Sultanate. They were about to give him the title of Emperor, but he refused, saying he wouldn’t accept it until he conquers Delhi.”

Agnihotri continued, “He massacred one lakh people in one night. He went on a killing spree from Delhi to Kashmir. He raped and pillaged along the way. Yes, he is a hero in his country; he is a great man. But he isn’t a hero to us. Of course, nobody should name their child Taimur. It shouldn’t even be a question.”

Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan’s Struggle with the Backlash

In 2016, Saif Ali Khan revealed in a conversation with Delhi Times that he had briefly considered changing his son’s name due to the controversy it sparked. He shared, “I thought for a second about changing his name. For a couple of weeks. And Kareena was a little against it. She said, ‘People respect you for your opinion and you can’t’… So I said, yeah, but it’s not about people. I don’t want him to get unpopular. And I still might, maybe when he’s one or two, I might change his name in a while, it’s still sinking in, what to do.”

Kareena also addressed the controversy during a chat with Miss Malini. She shared, “Of course, it affected me that people were talking about Taimur’s name. He probably doesn’t even know about the drama around his name. But, he also received lots of love for the fact that people were so interested in him. And I was like, ‘But, why?’ because people don’t know him and he is small. I think now, he will slowly understand. He is understanding that there is a whole culture where people follow him or he is being clicked.”

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