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Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor's ancestral houses in Pakistan estimated to be sold for $ 143000 

WION Web Team
New Delhi Updated: Jan 04, 2021, 09:23 AM IST
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Photograph:(Twitter)

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There were talks of how the present owner of the Kapoor ancestral home was keen to make a mall by demolishing the building but locals wanted the house to be turned into a museum. 

Bollywood legends Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor's ancestral homes in the walled city of Peshawar, Pakistan will be sold at approximately PKR 23.56 million (approx $143000). The value has been set by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister. 

Local reports state that the two houses will be bought by the government and the payments will be done soon to the landowners. 
Raj Kapoor`s ancestral haveli at Ander Shaher Bazaar will be bought for Rs 15 million and Dilip Kumar`s house in Mohalla Khudadad will be acquired for Rs 8.56 million.

To turn the Havelis into museums to attract tourism, the government has planned to acquire the properties and renovate them, as both are in bad shape.

Once a magnificent haveli, the Kapoor family home is now in ruins and has not been inhabited for a long time due to the depleted condition. The locals of that area had demanded the acquisition of both houses for a long time.

According to a report in The Express Tribune, the present owners were not willing to sell these houses as the government was reportedly not willing to pay the market prices.

On the other hand, the government claimed that the owners were demanding exorbitantly higher prices and blackmailing the authorities due to the importance of these houses in the eyes of local residents.

Now, the government has fixed a price on its own and it remains to be seen whether it will be acceptable for the owners as the landlord of the Kapoor`s haveli was planning to build a shopping mall and demolish the building when he failed to reach a consensus with the authorities over the pricing.

In fact, for a long time, the prices of the houses remained a bone of contention as the landowners were also demanding billions and a far higher price than that of the market average.

Director Archaeology Department Dr Abdul Sumad said they were trying to estimate the cost of renovation of both the buildings as the department has declared these houses national assets.

Philanthropist and veteran actor Dilip Kumar also known as `The Tragedy King` has been credited for bringing the Method acting technique to Indian cinema. Kumar, whose career spans over five decades, has worked in over 65 films. The legendary star is known for roles in films such as the romantic `Andaz`, the swashbuckling `Aan`, the social drama `Daag`, the dramatic `Devdas`, ` Azaad`, the epic historical `Mughal-e-Azam`, `Gunga Jamuna` and the comedy `Ram Aur Shyam`.

Actor, producer and director of Indian cinema, Raj Kapoor is widely regarded as the greatest showman in the history of Indian cinema and entertainment. During his lifetime, the actor was two-time nominee for the Palme d`Or grand prize at the Cannes Film Festival for his films Awaara and `Boot Polish`. 

His hit films including `Awaara`, `Shree 420`,`Jagte Raho`, `Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai` and `Mera Naam Joker` are loved by audience till date. 

Kapoor's father, Prithviraj Kapoor too was a veteran actor in Bollywood and the Kapoor family is often considered the 'first family of Bollywood. Raj Kapoor's grandchildren Karisma, Kareena and Ranbir Kapoor are popular stars in Hindi cinema at present.