Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa directorate of archaeology and museums on Tuesday took the possession of the ancestral homes of legendary Bollywood actors Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar.
The provincial government had announced in September last year that it would take possession of both properties and turn them into museums after restoration.
The current owners of the houses had raised objections to the sale, which was later rejected by Peshawar district commissioner Khalid Mehmud.
The Peshawar administration issued a notification confirming the transfer of ownership of the properties to the department of archaeology and museums of the provincial government.
Director of archaeology Abdul Samad said family members of both Kumar and Kapoor would be contacted about the restoration plans. He added that the restoration of both properties and their subsequent turning into museums was aimed at restoring Peshawar city’s links with Bollywood.
The government took over the properties under the compulsory property acquisition law valuing Kapoor’s haveli in Peshwar’s Dhaki Dalgaran area at Rs. 11.5 million (£52,308) and Kumar’s ancestral residence in Mohallah Khudad at Rs 7.2m (£32,749).
The previous owner of Kapoor’s ancestral home had taken up demolition of the property in 2016, which came to a halt after the intervention of the archaeology directorate. However, the exercise destroyed the upper portion of the house and badly damaged rest of it.
Acquisition of Kumar’s ancestral property was also delayed due to litigation over its price, although the government stopped its owner from making any alteration to the building.
Last month the provincial government announced the transfer of funds to the local administration to acquire the buildings after legal procedures were completed.
Raj Kapoor’s ancestral home, known as Kapoor Haveli, is situated in the fabled Qissa Khwani Bazaar. It was built between 1918 and 1922. Raj Kapoor was born in the same building. As far as Dilip Kumar’s over 100-year-old ancestral house is concerned, it is also located in the same locality. The house was declared as a national heritage in 2014.
