PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has started the restoration and renovation of legendary Indian film actors Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar ancestral homes in Peshawar.
Debris lying in both house has been removed after which formal renovation work will be initiated, the official told the media. Adding that the government is planning to restore the structure to its original conditions and preserve it as the heritage of the province.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has already released funds for the purchase Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor houses. Fawad Ishaq, nephew of Bollywood great Dilip Kumar, while appreciating the government’s decision to secure the ancestral homes of Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor, said that Dilip Kumar’s attachment to Peshawar has never diminished.
The 6-marla Kapoor mansion is located in Dhaki Munawar Shah, which was built by Prithviraj Kapoor’s father Dewan Kapoor. The house was constructed between 1918 and 1922 by Raj Kapoor’s father. It was in good condition but, the recent earthquakes and its owner have damaged this 100-year-old imposing building.
Beside Dilip Kumar and Raj Kappor, Peshawar was home to Shahrukh Khan.
The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has formally purchased both the house and announced to convert it into museums. According to the document, the total value of Dilip Kumar’s house has been fixed at Rs8.56 million while the value of Raj Kapoor’s ancestor residence has been set at Rs15 million. The the land value of both the houses was fixed by the Deputy Commissioner Peshawar, while the values of buildings’ structures was fixed by Communication & Works department of the province.
Dilip Kumar, who ruled the Indian film industry for decades, was born in the house of Mohalla Khudadad in Qissa Khwani. Kumar was born in this house on December 11, 1922 as Yousaf Khan however, his family moved to Bombay, India. In 2013, the government declared Kumar’s house as national heritage site and vowed to convert it into museum, however, its owner took the matter to the high court.
Dilip Kumar was awarded Pakistan’s highest civilian honour, the Nishan-e-Imtiaz by the government of Pakistan in 1988. On this occasion too, he wanted to visit his ancestral home but he could not visit it because of the overwhelming crowd. In 1977, Kumar visited Peshawar and has kissed the doorstep of his house.