The Bombay High Court has restrained media organizations and online platforms from referring to late superstar Rajesh Khanna’s iconic bungalow Ashirwad as “haunted”, “cursed” or “unfortunate”. The interim order came after businessman Shashi Shetty, the current owner of the property, argued that such descriptions were derogatory and affected his right to live peacefully.
Bombay High Court stops media from calling Rajesh Khanna’s former bungalow Ashirwad “haunted, cursed”
Justice Arif S Doctor, passing the interim order on July 24, said that the allegations made against the property were, prima facie, defamatory and violated the plaintiff’s fundamental right to live with dignity.
The case was filed by businessman Shashi Shetty, who now owns the property where Ashirwad once stood. Although the original bungalow was demolished about a decade ago, Shetty retained the Ashirwad name after building a new four-storey family residence on the same plot.
According to court proceedings, Shetty approached the High Court after seeing several news reports, social media posts and online videos describing the property as haunted, cursed or inauspicious.
Senior advocate Birendra Saraf, representing Shetty, informed the court that despite the original bungalow no longer existing, the new residence is linked to such claims. He also highlighted an article published by India.com titled 19 Real Haunted Houses in India That Will Give You a Cold Sweat, which included Ashirwad in its list.
The court termed the claims prima facie defamatory
Granting interim relief, the High Court said it was “entirely justified” for the owner to seek protection.
In its order, the court said that the published material was, prima facie, defamatory as it suggested that Shetty lived in a haunted and allegedly cursed bungalow. The court further said that such details may interfere with her right to live peacefully and with dignity.
Justice Doctor also pointed out that none of the respondents appeared before the court to defend or justify their publications. The order observed that the content appears to create sensationalism at the expense of the plaintiff without any fault on his part.
The interim relief will remain in force until the next hearing of the case on August 21, 2026.
legacy of blessings
Ashirwad remains one of the most famous residential properties of Bollywood due to its association with Rajesh Khanna. The legendary actor had bought this bungalow from veteran actor Rajendra Kumar for Rs 3.5 lakh, while Rajendra Kumar had bought it for Rs 65,000 in the late 1950s.
Interestingly, this property has long been associated with the remarkable success of both actors. Rajendra Kumar got the nickname “Jubilee Kumar” after giving several successful films while living there. Rajesh Khanna later moved to Ashirwad and became the first superstar of Hindi cinema, achieving unprecedented popularity during the peak of his career.
