"Major red flag" — When Dubai Bling star Safa Siddiqui shared her views on splitting bills

Dubai Bling season 3 premiered on Netflix on January 8, 2025, featuring Safa Siddiqui among its returning stars. As viewers watch the latest nine episodes, a look back at Safa's May 2023 Cosmopolitan Middle East interview reveals her candid views about dating finances.

During that conversation about relationships and dating dynamics, Safa stated,

"No splitting bills. This is a major red flag. I do believe that if they cannot pay for a date, it is not okay. A relationship is more about partnership, but sole responsibility is also heavily on men… But when it comes to dates, a real man would have paid that bill by the time she is back. It is weird to watch a guy who picks up the bill and starts calculating everything that's ordered. It is decent to take the bill under the table and check the bill discreetly."

The Iraqi-British fashion designer's marriage to businessman Fahad Siddiqui now includes two daughters, Alina and Ayana, born in 2019 and 2022, respectively.

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Dubai Bling star Safa Siddiqui explains why men must pay for dates

In her detailed Cosmopolitan Middle East discussion, Safa Siddiqui outlined strict rules about dating finances. She stated men must handle all dating expenses, making bill-splitting unacceptable. She explained that men should settle bills quietly before their date returns to the table, avoiding visible calculations of ordered items.

Apart from this, Safa also shared her past dating experience in the same interview. The Dubai Bling star stated,

“Every woman should experience bad dates so that when the right one comes along, they can understand and respect him. For me, if I had met Fahad as the first guy I have ever met, I think I would not have appreciated him and considered him as the norm. Finding a gem is one of the hardest things to do.”

Their relationship started at a Dubai real estate firm where both worked as agents. Safa described their early interactions as purely professional, with Fahad initially dealing with her colleague.

“It was very much of a persistent thing from Fahad. But that’s very important for me because if somebody is persistent, I am interested. When Fahad came to my office, it was the first time, he was dealing with a colleague of mine and he was checking me out. I kept bumping into him everywhere and we became good friends,” said Safa.

She also noted Fahad's consistent attention and how his birthday compliment marked a turning point in their relationship.

The Dubai Bling couple's relationship progressed rapidly after their workplace connection. Their engagement in February 2018 led to a traditional Indian wedding ceremony in November of the same year.

Their family expanded with daughter Alina's arrival in June 2019, followed by Ayana in December 2022. The couple manages their growing family while building their business presence in Dubai. Safa transitioned from real estate to fashion design, establishing her own ventures alongside her reality TV career.

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Background

Star couple’s current lifestyle reflects their early relationship agreements. Fahad handles significant business responsibilities across Mumbai and Dubai through the Siddiqui Group of Companies and Indo Rise General Trading LLC. Meanwhile, Safa balances motherhood with her professional endeavors, including her role on Dubai Bling.

This combined success is reflected in their financial status, with Safa's net worth reaching Dhs5.5 million and Fahad's estimated at Dhs14 million.

The couple maintains homes in both Dubai and Mumbai. Their story continues to unfold on Netflix's Dubai Bling, where Safa shares insights about relationships, family, and financial dynamics with viewers across three seasons. The latest season captures her balancing family life with these principles.

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Fans can watch Dubai Bling season 3 on Netflix.