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Bollywood’s hot real estate pin codes

Taking stock of the big purchases this year, leading with the Bachchans, and the gradual shift to Goregaon-Malad, Mira Road and beyond

Updated - December 14, 2024 07:23 pm IST

Bollywood celebrities invest heavily in real estate, diversifying portfolios and focusing on luxury high-rises and global properties.

Bollywood celebrities invest heavily in real estate, diversifying portfolios and focusing on luxury high-rises and global properties.

In the year 2000, Canara Bank was gearing up to auction Pratiksha, the Juhu bungalow of superstar Amitabh Bachchan in a loan default case when his late friend Subrata Roy Sahara bailed him out by settling the claims of ₹14 crore, thus preventing the famed bungalow from going out of hand. Those were tough days for the Bachchan family.

Amitabh Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Now, in 2024, Bachchan and his son Abhishek are among the biggest property buyers in Bollywood, in terms of number of residential units.

Eternia, Mulund West

Eternia, Mulund West | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

As per data available from the property registration office, the father-son duo has, in the calendar year 2024, bought 18 units in two residential developments in Borivali East and Mulund West for a total investment of over ₹47 crore. They have also made substantial investments in land parcels in Ayodhya and elsewhere.

Abhishek Bachchan

Abhishek Bachchan | Photo Credit: Getty Images

It appears the Bachchan family has invested over ₹100 crore this year alone. Besides Amitabh Bachchan who acquired property in Signature building in Oshiwara for ₹60 crore, some of the significant buyers this year include Shahid Kapoor, who purchased a ₹59 crore property by Oberoi Realty at Lower Parel in 360 West, Deepika Padukone and her father Prakash Padukone who invested in a Bandra housing society property worth ₹18 crore and Ranveer Singh’s mother Anuj Bhavnani who purchased a property in the same society for ₹19 crore. Prithviraj Sukumaran, actor and director, has also bought a property in Bandra for ₹31 crore.

Signature by Peridot

Signature by Peridot | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

The others who have invested in real estate this year are Javed Akthar, Amir Khan, Manoj Bajpayee, Kangana Ranaut, Boney Kapoor and Madhavan Ranganathan to name a few. Actor Jeetendra (Ravi Kapoor) and his daughter Ekta Kapoor were early investors in real estate. They have built tangible real estate assets in the form of a commercial complex in Andheri East and a luxury residential project on Mira Road, where a large segment of the acting community stays due to the proximity to studios and venues of TV serials and web series.

Kanika Gupta Shori, Founder & COO of Square Yards

Kanika Gupta Shori, Founder & COO of Square Yards | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

“With rising land prices in Mumbai, recent transactions show a shift toward luxury high-rises by top developers, offering top-tier amenities, and catering to the growing demand for convenience, exclusivity, and modern living as well as presenting strong investment opportunities,” said Kanika Gupta Shori, Founder & COO of Square Yards, an integrated real estate platform.

On the increased money flow into the hands of Bollywood personalities, Shori said post-1990s, factors like liberalisation, the rise of multiplexes, Bollywood’s growing international appeal, and diversified earnings from endorsements, stage shows, and global tours significantly boosted celebrity incomes.

Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone | Photo Credit: Getty images

“With higher revenues and increased wealth, celebrities began to view real estate not just as a lifestyle choice but also as a strategic investment vehicle, diversifying their portfolios beyond traditional end-use properties,” she said.

This is a main reason why some celebrities began investing in holiday homes, commercial properties, and land as well.

“Post-2020, about 63% of celebrity real estate transactions in Mumbai have been in residential spaces, with 33% in commercial real estate and the remaining in other asset classes — a clear indicator of diversification. Notable examples include Ajay Devgn’s investment in a commercial complex in Andheri, which has been rented out for ₹7 lakh per month,” Shori said.

Other examples include Amitabh Bachchan’s land acquisition in Ayodhya and Alibaug, Salman Khan’s holiday property in Panvel, Shah Rukh Khan’s property in Alibaug, and acquistion of homes in Goa by Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Akshay Kumar. Additionally, global real estate investments are becoming popular, with celebrities like Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya and Abhishek Bachchan, and Akshay Kumar acquiring properties in Dubai, the UK, the US and Canada, according to Shori.

Anuj Puri

Anuj Puri | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Anuj Puri, Chairman, Anarock Group said real estate investment trends among film and television industry denizens have changed over the years. “They are broadening their horizons now. Their focus has shifted from properties in pin codes with bragging rights to creating investment portfolios. These include both residential commercial properties with a target of achieving a mix of rental income and capital appreciation. As residential investments, young film and TV professionals tend to opt for premium luxury apartments close to the hubs of their professions. There is a distinct preference for urban living with access to various lifestyle amenities,” he said.

“Established senior artists may invest in these as well, not necessarily to live in them but for their investment potential. From that perspective, they will even consider buying anything from bungalows to regular apartments in prime residential locations, as well as commercial properties in hospitality and retail-centric locations with a view to opening exclusive restaurants or branded apparel outlets,” he added.

Kriti Sanon

Kriti Sanon | Photo Credit: Getty Images

The House of Abhinandan Lodha, which is into branded real estate plots, has witnessed an increased interest from this community. “Celebrities often choose land investments for reasons ranging from wealth creation to emotional nostalgia and personal legacy. We are honored to have iconic personalities like Amitabh Bachchan and Kriti Sanon among other esteemed landowners from Bollywood,” said Samujjwal Ghosh, CEO, The House of Abhinandan Lodha.

“For Bachchan, Ayodhya’s cultural heritage holds a deep emotional significance, making it a meaningful choice for investment. Sanon was drawn to Alibaug for its natural beauty, luxury, and connectivity, making it the perfect option for her holiday home,” he continued.

According to interior designers and architects, celebrity homeowners are increasingly seeking spaces that reflect their individuality, blending luxury with personal expression.

The interiors of Oberoi Sky City, Borivali East.

The interiors of Oberoi Sky City, Borivali East. | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

“Designers like Gauri Khan and Manish Malhotra bring their unique creative flair to meet this demand, crafting interiors that are not only elegant but deeply personal. Whether it’s modern minimalism, vintage charm, or cultural richness, the goal is to create homes that resonate with the homeowner’s stories and aspirations,” said Amit Parsuramka, CEO, Bonito Designs, an interior design company.

The love story of film actors with Mumbai is unending. The locations where they reside or stayed draw large crowds from across the country. Over the years, the Bollywood real estate map has extended from south Mumbai to the north and even beyond Mumbai’s jurisdictions.

In the 1960s, top film stars such as Devanand, Nargis, Raj Kapoor, Mehmood, Dilip Kumar and Meena Kumari resided in Malabar Hill-Walkeshwar-Breach Candy-Colaba areas of South Mumbai.

Then Khar-Bandra-Pali Hill area became popular with Sunil Dutt, Nargis, Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu staying in big bungalows. Rajendra Kumar had his bungalow ‘Ashirvad’ on Carter Road in Khar, which was later purchased by Rajesh Khanna.

Those who could not afford big bungalows in Pali Hill bought property in Juhu which was a marshy empty land. About 50 years ago, children would play cricket in an empty area opposite where Bachchan’s bungalow now stands, said old timers who frequented that area then. Some of the other top stars who invested in property in Juhu included the late Rishi Kapoor (Krishna Raj Bungalow) and Rekha (Basera).

With TV serials becoming popular and drawing sizable talent from the hinterland, Lokhandwala Complex in Andheri and the adjoining Oshiwara became the den of the acting community with many investing in real estate in these suburbs. Most post production studios are located here. Some of the top stars who stayed in Andheri back then included Priyanka Chopra, Shahid Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit. As these places became expensive, people from the cinema industry moved to Goregaon-Malad, and now to Mira Road and beyond, thus expanding the Bollywood real estate hotspot pin codes.

Oberoi Sky City Borivali East

Oberoi Sky City Borivali East | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

“The celebrity real estate journey mirrors Mumbai’s economic and urban development as well as Bollywood’s evolution over the decades, which have significantly influenced where the film and TV community choose to reside,” said Shori.

Stating that Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan chose to call Bandra their home, she said, “Even today, newer celebrities like Janhvi Kapoor, Athiya Shetty and Ananya Panday have made Bandra their home, while Sonakshi Sinha and Alia Bhatt reside in Juhu. Janhvi Kapoor, for instance, made a cumulative ₹130 crore purchase in Bandra in 2022.”

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