The ancestral homes of Bollywood legends Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar have been approved as a National Heritage of Pakistan. The deteriorating Havelis were set to be demolished by the owner when the Archeology Department of Peshawar stopped the process. Now, their homes, valued at Rs. 24 million, are set to be restored.
Famous Bollywood celebrities Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar were born and raised in Peshawar’s Qissa Khwani [Street of Storytellers] area. However, after the separation of India and Pakistan, their families moved to India. Now, their homes stand in a degenerated condition and the owner had plans to build commercial centers in their stead.
The archeology department, under Antiquity Act 2016, has claimed the properties as a national heritage and plans on restoring them. According to the Director of Archeology and Museums, Dr. Abdul Samad the houses will prove a key attraction point for tourists. He said:
“We are now in process to arrange the amount to acquire the buildings. We plan conservation and rehabilitation of the two buildings to turn them into museums to highlight the connection Bollywood has with Peshawar.”
He also added that the properties’ condition had been getting worse, and the authorities need to act fast to restore them.
“This is a great heritage for locals and foreigners equally and the government starts to rebuild it into its old shape without further delay. We observe the building getting damaged by each passing day.”
It was also reported that Dilip Kumar’s wife was happy to see the development and to hear from the government of Pakistan. When the 98-year-old heard about his ancestral home, he was taken aback. The Mughal-e-Azam actor took to his Twitter account and wrote:
“Requesting all in #Peshawar to share photos of my ancestral house (if you’ve clicked the pic) and tag #DilipKumar”
https://twitter.com/TheDilipKumar/status/1311217944764973056
Kumar also shared a link to the blog he wrote when he first heard about his childhood home back in 2011.
https://twitter.com/TheDilipKumar/status/1310955266771423235
We can’t wait to see these Bollywood legends’ Havelis getting restored. Have anything to add? Let us know in the comments section.
Via Arab News
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