Inside Shankar Mahadevan's six-floor luxury home in Mumbai with home theater, swimming pool, and recording studio: ‘This is Antilia,' says Farah Khan

Indian Express

2 days ago

Celebrated music composer-singer Shankar Mahadevan lives in a sprawling six-floor residence in Navi Mumbai with his wife Sangeetha and their sons, Siddharth and Shivam. Shankar moved into this grand home about five years ago, and recently, choreographer-filmmaker Farah Khan paid him a visit — instantly comparing it to Mukesh Ambani's Antilia.
The tour began with a surprise. As soon as Farah Khan stepped inside, she was greeted by a gleaming garage housing Shankar Mahadevan's prized car collection, including a vintage Chevrolet. Unable to resist, she delivered her signature line: 'Hum kitne gareeb hai.'
From the lobby, they accessed a secret lift behind a concealed door. 'Look at this, James Bond ka lift!' Farah exclaimed to her cook Dilip. Turning to the lift operator, she asked how many floors the building had. 'Six,' he replied. 'All Shankar's?' she asked. 'Yes,' came the answer. Farah sighed dramatically: 'I should have been a music director.'
When they finally reached the main floor, Farah was in awe. 'Yeh kya ghar hai yaar, Shankar? No wonder you live in Navi Mumbai,' she quipped, adding, 'I really should have learnt music.' Ever humble, Shankar said, 'Hum gareeb aadmi hai.' Farah shot back, 'This looks like a Sanjay Leela Bhansali set!'
Shankar Mahadevan revealed he had recently built an in-house recording studio, eliminating his daily commute. Farah Khan joked, 'You've literally made your own Antilia here,' to which Shankar replied, 'Yours is no less.'
In the kitchen, Shankar prepared his signature potli prawns for Farah, assisted by his culinary team — head cook Lakshmi, along with Seema and Jyoti. Pointing to his industrial-grade oven, Shankar beamed, 'You'll find this in every five-star hotel. My son Siddharth gifted it to me for my 50th birthday.'
Farah's eyes lit up when she spotted Shankar's Grammy. 'Only the Oscar left now!' she teased. He also proudly displayed his Padma Shri, adding that he is the only person to have won National Awards both as a singer and composer.
Next stop: the swimming area, complete with a large jacuzzi, an LED TV, a dining space, and seating for 20. 'We watch cricket matches here with friends, sitting in the pool,' Siddharth Mahadevan revealed. Farah Khan, once again, turned to Dilip with mock despair: 'Dilip, hum kitne gareeb hai.'
During the tour, Shankar shared his upcoming venture — Malgudi, a chain of authentic South Indian restaurants under the Eutopia group. 'It's not just one restaurant — we'll have outlets in Borivali, Chembur, and Lower Parel. Every dish is curated by me, including a 100-year-old recipe for Mulbagal dosa that you've probably never tasted,' he said with pride.
The final stop was Shankar Mahadevan's plush home theatre. 'This is where we watch Netflix and other shows,' he told a stunned Farah Khan. His wife Sangeetha added with a laugh, 'We can't afford a house like this in Lokhandwala.' Shankar chimed in, 'We're not part of the film fraternity.' Farah deadpanned, 'Yeah, sure. You're too poor. This is bigger than most studios in Bombay — okay, maybe not Yash Raj, but still huge!'
The visit wrapped up with Shankar Mahadevan, Farah Khan, and Dilip recording a special song together.