Image credit: iStock
After his death in 2011, the family found the upkeep difficult. The place will now be replaced by a 22 floors long tower,” a source told Hindustan Times as reported by NDTV. Madhubala’s Arabian Villa in Pali Hill, where she spent her final years, stood empty after her death in 1969 and was later demolished for a high-rise.
Her earlier Kismet Bungalow was sold off by her family as reported by NDTV. In Mumbai’s crowded neighbourhoods, where the Arabian Sea meets the city’s restless energy, some bungalows once stood as quiet witnesses to stardom. They saw film stars rise, fall in love, host late-night parties, and eventually leave this world. Yet the houses themselves lingered longer than their famous owners. Some were sold, some torn down for high-rises, others quietly redeveloped. These homes tell stories that go beyond the glamour; stories of attachment, practicality, and the way time moves on even when memories refuse to fade. Bollywood has always mixed dreams with real estate. Stars poured their earnings into sea-facing properties that became as iconic as their films. But when the lights dimmed, families faced hard choices. What follows is a look at a few of those places and what became of them. Aashirwad on Carter Road in Bandra remains the most talked-about of them all. Bharat Bhushan owned it first in the 1950s. His career had peaked with films like Baiju Bawra, but money troubles forced him to sell. His son lived abroad; others had settled elsewhere. The family decided to sell the property owing to their personal reasons. Other homes followed similar paths.
Guru Dutt’s Pali Hill bungalow never became the peaceful home he wanted; he had it demolished himself in 1963, the year before his death. BR Chopra’s sprawling Juhu bungalow, known as BR House, was sold by his daughter-in-law years after his passing for nearly Rs 183. Long before Juhu became a celebrity address, Dev Anand chose it. In the 1950s he built one of the first actor-owned bungalows there, drawn by the open spaces and quiet. For decades it was his private retreat, a place where the evergreen hero could step away from the cameras. These stories are not only about loss. They show how stars, like everyone else, left behind more than memories. Some families held on as long as they could. Others chose practicality over sentiment. Mumbai’s real estate market keeps rising, and the land under those old bungalows becomes too valuable to leave untouched. Looking for trusted parenting advice? Follow TOI Parenting Circle on Instagram for expert guidance, relatable stories, and practical tips delivered every day.
Rajendra Kumar bought it next for around Rs 60,000 and renamed it Dimple after his daughter. Then the luck seemed to run out, and he sold it to Rajesh Khanna for Rs 3.5 lakh in the late 1960s. He stayed on alone until his death in 2012. The family sold the property for roughly Rs 90 crore to industrialist Shashi Kiran Shetty. By 2016 the bungalow was gone, replaced by a high-rise. He bought Bungalow No.16 in 1953 for Rs 1.4 lakh when Bandra was still a sleepy suburb. The actor lived there until his death in 2021.
Hits followed Mother India, Dhool Ka Phool; earning him the title Jubilee Kumar. Khanna called it Aashirwad, a blessing. For a while it lived up to the name. Fifteen consecutive hits arrived. Fans gathered outside. Then the slide began. Personal troubles piled up. Fans still pause at the spot, remembering the lonely figure who once waved from the balcony. Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu’s bungalow in Pali Hill was different, less haunted by gossip, more filled with quiet dignity. Later they moved to Saira Banu’s nearby home, Bungalow. After he passed, the family decided the old structure could not stand forever. Plans emerged to redevelop the land into a luxury residential complex. A museum dedicated to Dilip Kumar’s work is to occupy the ground floor, with separate access so visitors can walk through his legacy without disturbing residents. The first star home in Juhu will vanish into the skyline, another reminder that even the most personal spaces eventually answer to the city’s hunger for space.