Amitabh Bachchan reveals how he is related to Saif Ali Khan: ‘How should I address Kareena?’

Bollywood family connections can be complicated enough, and Amitabh Bachchan recently added another interesting link to the mix, this time while hosting Kaun Banega Crorepati.

Saif Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar appeared on the show to promote their upcoming thriller Haiwaan, expecting the usual mix of trivia and conversation. Instead, Bachchan surprised Saif by revealing a family connection between them.

“Many people don’t know this, but he is related to me,” Big B said, referring to Saif. Saif was obviously surprised.

Bachchan then explained the connection. Raj Kapoor’s daughter Ritu Kapoor’s son, Nikhil Nanda, is married to Bachchan’s daughter, Shweta Bachchan. Saif, meanwhile, is married to Kareena Kapoor, the daughter of Raj Kapoor’s son Randhir Kapoor. This makes Kareena and Nikhil first cousins, connecting the two families through marriage.

The revelation left Bachchan with another question: “So, now I want to know, how should I address Kareena? What will Kareena call me?”

Saif quickly responded with a joke: “Thankfully, that’s not a question [on the KBC screen],” prompting laughter from both Bachchan and Akshay.

The three actors have also shared several connections through their work over the years. Bachchan and Kareena appeared together in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Dev and Satyagraha, while Bachchan and Saif have worked together on Aarakshan and Eklavya: The Royal Guard.

Meanwhile, there’s a movie to promote

The family connection came up as Saif and Akshay were on Kaun Banega Crorepati to promote Haiwaan, their upcoming crime thriller, which is scheduled for release on September 11.

Directed by Priyadarshan, the film is based on his 2016 Malayalam film Oppam, which starred Mohanlal. The Hindi adaptation also features Boman Irani, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Saiyami Kher and Rajpal Yadav, with music by Pritam.

Between the film promotion and an unexpected family-tree revelation, the KBC appearance gave Saif, Akshay and Bachchan plenty to talk about.