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Time of India
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Did you know Rajesh Khanna once bought an alleged haunted house hoping to inherit Rajendra Kumar's luck?
Did you know that 's iconic sea-facing home Aashirwad was once considered haunted? Long before it became a symbol of superstardom, the bungalow was a crumbling, unwanted property—until two legendary actors turned it into a piece of Bollywood history. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Haunted House No One Wanted Back in the 1960s, Carter Road in Bandra wasn't the celebrity hotspot it is today—it was a quiet neighborhood, mostly home to Parsis and Anglo-Indians. Tucked along this sleepy stretch was a dilapidated old bungalow with a spooky reputation. Locals believed it was haunted, and no one dared buy it, even at a throwaway price. But rising star saw beyond the ghost stories. Eager to own a home by the sea, and undeterred by its eerie past, he took a leap of faith—despite being strapped for cash. Rajendra Kumar's Risk Pays Off As recounted in Seema Sonik Alimchand 's book Jubilee Kumar, the haunted bungalow was priced at Rs 65,000, but Rajendra Kumar had only Rs 10,000 at the time. Eager not to miss the opportunity, he immediately issued a cheque for the amount and handed it to the broker, even though he didn't have the remaining Rs 55,000. To raise the balance, he approached filmmaker BR Chopra, who had recently offered him two films—Dhool Ka Phool and Kanoon. Although Kumar had agreed to both roles, the payment terms were still being discussed, and he now hoped to finalize them to secure the funds. Rajendra Kumar set his sights on a house priced at Rs 65,000 but had only Rs 10,000 in hand. To arrange the remaining amount, he turned to filmmaker BR Chopra, who had recently offered him two film roles. Hoping to get an advance, Rajendra asked for Rs 2 lakh, but Chopra agreed to Rs 1.75 lakh. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now With the money secured, Rajendra went on to purchase the house. Rumours swirled that the house was haunted, but the broker assured Rajendra Kumar it was just a tale spread by a former tenant who hadn't paid rent. Unfazed, Rajendra renovated the bungalow and named it Dimple after his daughter. As his career soared, earning him the nickname 'Jubilee Kumar' for his string of hits, the house became a symbol of his success. Years later, Rajesh Khanna bought the same house, hoping it would bring him the same good fortune. Rajesh Khanna's Aashirwad Era Rajesh Khanna purchased the bungalow for Rs 3.5 lakh but was advised to change its name from Dimple to Aashirwad. According to Seema Sonik Alimchand's book Jubilee Kumar, Rajendra Kumar gently requested the change, explaining that the bungalow had been named after his daughter and that their new home also carried the same name. He warmly added his blessings, wishing Rajesh immense luck and prosperity in his new home. Seema Sonik Alimchand's book recounts Rajendra Kumar's reflections on the iconic bungalow, but it was Rajesh Khanna who truly turned Aashirwad into a symbol of stardom. After moving in, he rose to become Hindi cinema's first superstar, with crowds of fans regularly gathering outside his home. As Gautam Chintamani notes in Dark Star: The Loneliness of Being Rajesh Khanna, the move to Aashirwad cemented Rajesh's superstar status. Following his death in 2012, the legendary sea-facing bungalow was sold to a businessman for a staggering Rs 90 crore.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Bollywood's 'haunted' home: Rajesh Khanna's iconic bungalow was abandoned by every star who lived there. Was it cursed?
Located on the once quiet Carter Road in Bandra, Mumbai, a sea-facing bungalow came to be known over the years not just for its grandeur, but for the supposed curse attached to it. Known famously as 'Aashirwad', this house witnessed the rise and fall of some of Bollywood's most celebrated stars. Before it became a landmark, the property was reportedly in a dilapidated state and considered haunted. Journalist Ali Peter John recalls that in the 1960s, the bungalow was avoided by most due to these eerie rumors. Despite the stigma, actor Rajendra Kumar showed keen interest in the property when it went on sale for Rs 65,000. In Jubilee Kumar: The Life and Times of a Superstar by Seema Sonik Alimchand, Rajendra Kumar recounted how he could initially only afford Rs 10,000. He turned to producer B.R. Chopra, with whom he was discussing payments for upcoming films Dhool Ka Phool and Kanoon. Eventually, Chopra agreed to pay Kumar Rs 1.75 lakh, part of which Kumar used to finalize the bungalow deal. Dimple to Aashirwad: Changing Hands Rajendra Kumar renovated the bungalow and named it 'Dimple' after his daughter. Ignoring the haunting tales, he moved in after performing a puja. The actor's career flourished soon after, earning him the title 'Jubilee Kumar'. However, by the late 1960s, his films began to fail, and he decided to sell the house. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Join new Free to Play WWII MMO War Thunder War Thunder Play Now Undo The buyer was none other than Rajesh Khanna, a rising star at the time. As per Alimchand's book, Kumar advised Khanna to rename the bungalow. Respecting his wishes, Rajesh Khanna called it 'Aashirwad'. According to Gautam Chintamani's Dark Star: The Loneliness of Being Rajesh Khanna, the actor embraced the grandeur of the house, transforming it into a symbol of his superstardom. Fans gathered in thousands outside its gates, while industry insiders waited long hours for a meeting with the actor. The Curse Strikes Again However, the narrative around Aashirwad soon darkened. Reports from Financial Express and other sources pointed out that Khanna wasn't the first to face setbacks after moving in. Bharat Bhushan, a 1950s star known for his performances in Baiju Bawra and Mirza Ghalib, was the original celebrity owner. After moving in, Bhushan faced a string of flops and financial troubles, which ultimately forced him to sell the house. Rajendra Kumar, too, faced a downward spiral in his career after settling in the bungalow. Then came Rajesh Khanna, who enjoyed immense fame in the 1970s, with hits like Anand, Haathi Mere Saathi, and Kati Patang. But as Amitabh Bachchan's popularity surged, Khanna's stardom began to fade. His separation from Dimple Kapadia and his reclusive lifestyle in Aashirwad further reinforced the property's cursed image. Ali Peter John noted that Khanna later spent most of his time at his Linking Road office and only returned to the bungalow to sleep. Rajesh Khanna passed away in 2012, marking the end of Aashirwad's association with Bollywood royalty. In 2014, industrialist Shashi Kiran Shetty bought the property for Rs 90 crore, a dramatic rise from the Rs 3.5 lakh that Khanna had paid decades earlier. Despite its original valuation being around Rs 225 crore, its infamous legacy perhaps played a role in its reduced selling price. The house has since been demolished, and a new structure stands in its place.
