Mira Kapoor on creating her luxury wellness sanctuary in Mumbai's Bandra

Indian Express

2 days ago

When Mira Kapoor (nee Rajput) was five, she gravitated towards the piano, playing nursery rhymes like Yankee Doodle by ear. Recognising her talent, her parents enrolled her in formal lessons, but the structure of education took away the joy of playing, and she soon dropped out. Over the years, whenever she saw a piano, she would sit and play. A few years ago, the instrument finally found its way into her Mumbai home, which she built with her actor-husband Shahid Kapoor. Since then, she has been self-learning via YouTube tutorials.
More recently, music became integral to her wellness venture, Dhun, which represents the union of her love for music and wellness. 'An important aspect of wellness is finding stillness in all the noise that surrounds us. That is the first step to finding yourself,' she says, sitting at the store on a rainy afternoon, ahead of the official launch of her new venture – a luxurious wellness sanctuary in Bandra, Mumbai. 'It is why Dhun has spaces where people are encouraged to do nothing—like the resonance room, where you can immerse yourself in sounds from various instruments or simply sit in silence.'
Kapoor, who hails from Delhi, shares that wellness has been a part of her life since childhood. Watching her mother begin the day with a warm breakfast, avoid mixing fruits with milk, and apply oil to her hair were among the early wellness rituals that shaped her own. Now 30 and a mother of two, Kapoor starts her mornings with a glass of water with soaked raisins and saffron, and ends her day by applying ghee or oil to her feet. Despite having visited renowned wellness centres across the world, she admits she doesn't currently have the luxury of a week-long retreat. 'My kids are very young,' she says.
The idea for Dhun germinated during a conversation with a friend when she was talking about wellness and sharing how she wished there was a place where she could participate without switching off from the world, 'something that marries the touch-led practices of the East with the technology-driven ones of the West'. 'My friend said, 'why don't you make one?'' says Kapoor.
She hesitated. 'I'm trying to find myself, and who I am after being a mom. I finally feel like I have a little bit of space for myself. The advice I got was: give yourself a deadline and put it down on paper.'
The last two years were spent building Dhun from the ground up. 'Wellness trends are peaking, and I believe they will continue to do so. But I also felt that the essence of healing — especially touch-led practices — had got lost because they were considered old-school or outdated,' she says. 'People dismiss things as 'nuskhas', but what they're referring to is Ayurveda, which is a science. I wanted to bring this time-tested wisdom of Ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine, Tibetan medicine, and other holistic practices that honour the body's constitution, into an urban space. At the same time, I wanted to integrate cutting-edge Western technologies like cryotherapy and red light collagen beds, which promote cellular regeneration and fast recovery. You shouldn't have to choose between slow and fast. You should be able to create your circuit,' adds Kapoor.
The space has been designed by architect Ankur Khosla, who also designed her residence. The soft furnishings have been custom-woven by Delhi-based Bandhini Home, and Kapoor has also developed a signature scent in collaboration with Seva Home. 'Every carpet, fabric, curtain, texture, and light has been handpicked by me. I see Dhun as an extension of myself,' she says.
Last year, Kapoor had also launched her skincare brand, Akind. When asked if there's more in store, she says, 'Right now, I am in postpartum, this feels like my fourth baby.' She adds, 'I want to see them flourish — and for Dhun to grow across India and the world as a pioneering urban wellness centre, rooted in healing and harmony, with the best practices, partners, and experts at its core.'