What was once deemed to be one of the most haunted houses of Mumbai became a good luck charm for India’s first superstar, Rajesh Khanna. In the 1960s, the scenic Carter Road in Bandra bore little resemblance to its glamorous present-day avatar. It was a sleepy, serene neighborhood populated mainly by Anglo-Indians and Parsis. Nestled among its coastal homes stood a battered, decaying bungalow that no one wanted—rumored to be haunted and untouched even by the desperate.
A Ghost Story and a Dreamer’s Eye
Journalist Ali Peter John remembers the property as an abandoned structure—its crumbling walls scaring off potential buyers, despite being sold at a price almost too good to be true. It was this very home that caught the attention of a young and hopeful Rajendra Kumar, who had just started making a name for himself in Bollywood. Though his bank balance didn’t support such a purchase, he was enchanted by the idea of owning a sea-facing home.
According to Seema Sonik Alimchand’s biography 'Jubilee Kumar: The Life and Times of a Superstar' the property was up for grabs for Rs 65,000—a modest price even for the time. Rajendra, however, had only Rs 10,000 on hand. Eager not to lose the opportunity, he immediately wrote out a cheque for that amount and handed it over to the broker. Now short by Rs 55,000, he turned to someone he trusted—filmmaker B.R. Chopra.
A Bold Ask and a Generous Reply
Rajendra had recently been cast in two Chopra productions, Dhool Ka Phool and Kanoon, though negotiations for his fee had yet to be finalized. He approached Chopra with honesty and urgency, explaining that he needed an advance to complete the home purchase. In the book, he recalls: 'Shastri, the Chopra production manager, had offered me Rs 1.5 lakh for both films. I was asking Rs 2 lakhs, which was in line with what others were paying me.”
Chopra, known for his generosity, settled on a compromise. “He agreed to pay me Rs 1.75 lakh in total, provided Rs 50,000 was given to me upfront,” Rajendra remembered. The filmmaker handed over the money on the spot, allowing the actor to pay the remaining Rs 55,000 and claim his dream home.
Tales of Spirits and Superstition
Despite the rumors surrounding the bungalow, Rajendra wasn't one to believe everything he heard. The broker casually dismissed the ghost stories, suggesting they were a tactic by the current tenant to delay eviction. “The man hasn’t paid rent in months. He’s spreading stories to scare away potential buyers,” the broker remarked.
Still, Rajendra sought advice from his friend, actor Manoj Kumar. Manoj advised him not to let superstition dictate his decisions and suggested a housewarming puja, just to be safe. Rajendra restored the bungalow and named it ‘Dimple’ after his newborn daughter. His career soon skyrocketed, earning him the nickname “Jubilee Kumar” for his string of box-office hits.
A Home of Destiny Passes On
As fate would have it, a young aspiring actor named Rajesh Khanna was also dreaming of stardom around the same time. Hearing that Rajendra Kumar wanted to sell the Carter Road house, Rajesh decided to buy it, hoping the good fortune associated with the home would follow him too.
He purchased the bungalow for Rs 3.5 lakh, but Rajendra had one condition—he could not keep the name ‘Dimple’. “That name belongs to my daughter. We’ve named our new bungalow after her too. But you have my blessings,” Rajendra told him. Rajesh renamed the home ‘Aashirwad’—a blessing that lived up to its name.
A Legacy Carved in Stone and Stardom
Rajesh Khanna’s life transformed after moving into Aashirwad. He became India's first true film superstar, drawing hordes of fans outside his sea-facing sanctuary. As Gautam Chintamani wrote in Dark Star: The Loneliness of Being Rajesh Khanna, “Once he moved into Aashirwad, the illusion of royalty was complete.”
Following his passing in 2012, the house was sold for Rs 90 crore to businessman Shashi Kiran Shetty. Today, a towering structure stands where the haunted bungalow once did—its spectral past buried beneath the legacy of two legends.
A Ghost Story and a Dreamer’s Eye
Journalist Ali Peter John remembers the property as an abandoned structure—its crumbling walls scaring off potential buyers, despite being sold at a price almost too good to be true. It was this very home that caught the attention of a young and hopeful Rajendra Kumar, who had just started making a name for himself in Bollywood. Though his bank balance didn’t support such a purchase, he was enchanted by the idea of owning a sea-facing home.
According to Seema Sonik Alimchand’s biography 'Jubilee Kumar: The Life and Times of a Superstar' the property was up for grabs for Rs 65,000—a modest price even for the time. Rajendra, however, had only Rs 10,000 on hand. Eager not to lose the opportunity, he immediately wrote out a cheque for that amount and handed it over to the broker. Now short by Rs 55,000, he turned to someone he trusted—filmmaker B.R. Chopra.
A Bold Ask and a Generous Reply
Rajendra had recently been cast in two Chopra productions, Dhool Ka Phool and Kanoon, though negotiations for his fee had yet to be finalized. He approached Chopra with honesty and urgency, explaining that he needed an advance to complete the home purchase. In the book, he recalls: 'Shastri, the Chopra production manager, had offered me Rs 1.5 lakh for both films. I was asking Rs 2 lakhs, which was in line with what others were paying me.”
Chopra, known for his generosity, settled on a compromise. “He agreed to pay me Rs 1.75 lakh in total, provided Rs 50,000 was given to me upfront,” Rajendra remembered. The filmmaker handed over the money on the spot, allowing the actor to pay the remaining Rs 55,000 and claim his dream home.
Tales of Spirits and Superstition
Despite the rumors surrounding the bungalow, Rajendra wasn't one to believe everything he heard. The broker casually dismissed the ghost stories, suggesting they were a tactic by the current tenant to delay eviction. “The man hasn’t paid rent in months. He’s spreading stories to scare away potential buyers,” the broker remarked.
Still, Rajendra sought advice from his friend, actor Manoj Kumar. Manoj advised him not to let superstition dictate his decisions and suggested a housewarming puja, just to be safe. Rajendra restored the bungalow and named it ‘Dimple’ after his newborn daughter. His career soon skyrocketed, earning him the nickname “Jubilee Kumar” for his string of box-office hits.
A Home of Destiny Passes On
As fate would have it, a young aspiring actor named Rajesh Khanna was also dreaming of stardom around the same time. Hearing that Rajendra Kumar wanted to sell the Carter Road house, Rajesh decided to buy it, hoping the good fortune associated with the home would follow him too.
He purchased the bungalow for Rs 3.5 lakh, but Rajendra had one condition—he could not keep the name ‘Dimple’. “That name belongs to my daughter. We’ve named our new bungalow after her too. But you have my blessings,” Rajendra told him. Rajesh renamed the home ‘Aashirwad’—a blessing that lived up to its name.
A Legacy Carved in Stone and Stardom
Rajesh Khanna’s life transformed after moving into Aashirwad. He became India's first true film superstar, drawing hordes of fans outside his sea-facing sanctuary. As Gautam Chintamani wrote in Dark Star: The Loneliness of Being Rajesh Khanna, “Once he moved into Aashirwad, the illusion of royalty was complete.”
Following his passing in 2012, the house was sold for Rs 90 crore to businessman Shashi Kiran Shetty. Today, a towering structure stands where the haunted bungalow once did—its spectral past buried beneath the legacy of two legends.
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