Godrej buys Raj Kapoor's iconic bungalow

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 17

Once the location of all-night film story sessions and the venue of Rishi Kapoor’s marriage to Neetu Singh, Godrej Properties has bought the iconic bungalow of legendary film actor and director Raj Kapoor.

Its more famous cousin RK Studios was taken over by Godrej Properties in May 2019. This two-acre property in Mumbai’s Chembur area has seen the shooting of some of Bollywood’s most memorable films such as “Shri 420” and “Bobby”.

The family bungalow, also in Chembur, was bought by Raj Kapoor in 1946, and was being eyed by many builders, including the Rahejas and Kukrejas. But Raj Kapoor’s daughter Ritu Nanda and wife Krishna Kapoor had opposed its sale. With the deaths of Krishna in 2018 and Ritu in 2020 and another daughter, Reema Jain, becoming amenable to its sale, the land was purchased from the Kapoor family, said Godrej in a regulatory filing without disclosing the price.

However, on the basis of local property rates, it is estimated that the bungalow was sold for about Rs 100 crore.

Raj Kapoor’s sole surviving son Randhir Kapoor said the bungalow was of great emotional and historical significance to the Kapoor family and “we are happy to once again associate with Godrej Properties to take forward this rich legacy for the next phase of development for this location”.

The bungalow would now be developed as a premium residential project, which is expected to yield revenue of Rs 500 crore to the Godrej group. The Raj Kapoor family is now left with its farmhouse in Pune, which is believed to have been partially sold off.

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