Inside Rajesh Khanna’s Rs 90 crore Mumbai home Aashirwad which was called Bollywood's 'bhoot bangla', labelled as cursed, 'ruined' 3 superstars who..

Bollywood superstars, for many years now, have become famous not only for their work in films but also for their iconic homes, which are nothing less than a tourist attraction for their fans. From Shah Rukh Khan's Mannat and Salman Khan's Galaxy Apartments to Amitabh Bachchan's Jalsa, homes where superstars reside are always a spot of great attraction for the general public. But, before this became a common concept, there was one actor, India's first superstar, who gained such popularity among the masses that everything he did became the talk of the town. We are talking about none other than Rajesh Khanna. The superstar's home, the Aashirwad bungalow, was a landmark much before Mannat or Jalsa. But, apart from being Rajesh Khanna's home, Aashirwad bungalow was infamous for its troubled past, being known as a 'cursed' bhoot bangla. 

Located on Mumbai's Carter Road, Aashirwad, as it came to be known later, was owned by an Anglo-Indian family. Bharat Bhushan, a superstar of Hindi films in the early 1950s, was the first celebrity owner of the bungalow. Bharat Bhushan, popular for starring in hits like Baiju Bawra and Mirza Ghalib, was once considered Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor's competitor. However, just a few years after he moved into this bungalow, his films began to flop at the box office. Bharat Bhushan struggled so much financially that he had to sell the bungalow to pay off the debts. This is when this urban legend first started that the house brought bad luck. 

After Bharat Bhushan, the Jubilee Kumar of the silver screen, Rajendra Kumar, bought the house in the 60s for just Rs 60000. Like the star before him, by the end of the decade, Rajendra Kumar also saw a negative impact on his career, with his films flopping at the box office. Rajendra Kumar had no choice but to sell the bungalow. This time it was bought by none other than the man who is often referred to as India's first superstar, Rajesh Khanna. 

Rajesh Khanna bought the bungalow for Rs 3.5 lakhs in the early 70s and named it Aashirwad. When Rajesh Khanna moved into the house, his career was at its peak with a record 17 consecutive solo hits. Rajesh Khanna got married to Dimple Kapadia during this time and also became a father to two girls, Twinkle Khanna and Rinke Khanna. However, soon, tragedy struck. Rajesh Khanna's career and personal life both went for a toss just as Amitabh Bachchan started to gain superstardom. 

Despite this, Rajesh Khanna, who considered Aashirwad to be a living example of his stardom, refused to part with it. He continued to live in Aashirwad till his last days in 2011. Many believed that the bungalow was 'cursed' as three superstars who lived in it, all gained stardom and then quickly fell out of favour. 

After Rajesh Khanna's death, the bungalow stood empty. His daughters, Twinkle and Rinke, eventually parted ways with Aashirwad and sold it to industrialist Shashi Kiran Shetty for Rs 90 crore in 2014. Aashirwad was then demolished, with a Bollywood history forever buried.

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