Story of Rajesh Khanna’s Aashirwad: Was labelled cursed, ‘ruined’ 3 superstars

When we think of iconic houses of Bollywood stars, places like Shah Rukh Khan’s Mannat, Salman Khan’s Galaxy Apartments, and Amitabh Bachchan’s Jalsa spring to mind. These places are legitimate landmarks in Mumbai, tourist spots almost. However, for years before any of these actors ascended to superstardom, one man reigned over Bollywood – Rajesh Khanna. And his house – the picturesque Aashirwad bungalow – was as much as a landmark as Mannat or Jalsa. But due to its troubled history, Aashirwad had come to be known as a ‘cursed’ bhoot bungla, a tag it could never get rid of. (Also read: Aashirwad is synonymous with Rajesh Khanna: Anita Advani)
The history of Aashirwad stretches back to before Mumbai (then Bombay) became the hub of the Indian film industry. Situated on Carter Road next to the Arabian Sea front, the bungalow was owned by an Anglo-Indian family. The first celebrity owner of the house was Bharat Bhushan, the reigning star of Hindi films in the early 1950s. Bharat Bhushan had hits like Baiju Bawra, Mirza Ghalib, Gateway of India, and Barsaat Ki Raat, making him a competitor of superstars like Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar. However, a few years after he moved in to this bungalow, his films began flopping. By the end of the decade, Bharat Bhushan went in debt and lost his stardom. He sold the bungalow and it became dilapidated. The shabby appearance, coupled with the sudden downfall of its owner, gave birth to the urban legend that the bungalow was cursed.
In the 1960s, up-and-coming star Rajendra Kumar became aware of this ‘abandoned’ bhoot bungla on Carter Road. Given it was available for cheap in such a location, Rajendra Kumar bought it and named it after his daughter – Dimple. On the advice of friend Manoj Kumar, he got a puja done here to ward off the house’s supposed curse. Like Bharat Bhushan, Rajendra Kumar first tasted success after moving into the house. But by 1968-69, he entered financial strife as his films failed and other investments went bad. Yet another resident of the infamous house was driven into the ground.
Rajesh Khanna bought the house off Rajendra Kumar in the early 70s when he is in the middle of his golden run of 17 hits. He was the original superstar and it seemed his reign would never end. Except it did, all too quickly. By 1975, Rajesh Khanna’s films were falling flat while Amitabh Bachchan was climbing in the ranks. His personal life also fell apart with his wife Dimple Kapadia separating from him and leaving the house with his children. Rajesh Khanna continued to live in Aashirwad till his last days in 2011. However, he largely stayed alone. The imagery of the lonely once-superstar living in the house further strengthened its ‘cursed’ tag.
In 2014, an industrialist bought the bungalow and two years later, demolished it and with it, a piece of Bollywood history.