The Pataudi Palace (near Gurgaon), ancestral home of erstwhile cricketing legend Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi which is converted to a Neemrana Group Non-Hotel is now up for shooting. It is the first time that this palace had been given out for a shooting. Ek Thi Rajkumari on Zee Next is the only serial that is being shot in the royal home. “It was a wonderful experience to shoot in Pataudi’s Palace. Initially we shot there for seven days in October and then four to five days in November and December,” says Ali Merchant who is currently part of the show. Ali Merchant essays the role of Arjun describes the palace, “It’s a huge place which consists of 4000 sq ft of rooms and covers 25 acres of ground including the gardens. I was initially scared to live in those rooms alone. It has everything from pool to snooker. Whenever Ayushman, my co- star and I got time we jumped in the swimming pool. In the evening I used to play snooker,” he informs. “The entire shooting was more like a picnic than work. Now we don’t go there much but if the scene demands we may shoot there,” he adds. Along with the Pataudi Palace the serial has also been shot in Lal Qila and Kutub Minar. “Though I’m a Bombay-ite but I miss Delhi,” the actor laments. Who says serials are not authentic?