Few celebrity homes in Hindi cinema carry the kind of emotion and myth that Aashirwad does, which is exactly why the Bombay High Court’s latest intervention has drawn attention far beyond a routine property dispute. In an interim order, the court has restrained media organisations and online platforms from referring to Rajesh Khanna’s former bungalow as “haunted”, “cursed” or “unlucky”, giving relief to its current owner, businessman Shashi Shetty.
Shetty approached the court after several reports, videos and social media posts continued to attach those descriptions to the property. While the original bungalow linked to Rajesh Khanna was demolished years ago, the site still carries the name Aashirwad, and with it, a public memory that has proved difficult to separate from sensational storytelling.
Court Calls The Descriptions Defamatory
Justice Arif S. Doctor passed the ad interim order on July 24, 2026, after taking note of the material placed before the court and the effect such content could have on the current resident. According to the proceedings, senior advocate Birendra Saraf, appearing for Shetty, argued that even though the old structure no longer exists, the rebuilt residence continued to be portrayed through claims that were damaging and intrusive.
Granting relief, the court observed that Shetty was “wholly justified” in seeking protection. The order further held that the material was prima facie defamatory because it suggested that he lived in a haunted and supposedly cursed bungalow, an impression the court said could interfere with his right to live peacefully and with dignity. The order also noted that none of the respondents appeared before the court to justify the publications in question.
The ad interim protection will remain in place until the matter is taken up again on August 21, 2026.
Why Aashirwad Still Holds Such Power
The legal battle is inseparable from the aura of Aashirwad itself. Rajesh Khanna bought the bungalow from Rajendra Kumar for Rs 3.5 lakh, and over time the address became one of the most recognisable celebrity homes in Mumbai. Before Khanna moved in, Rajendra Kumar had already enjoyed an extraordinary run while living there, a phase that helped cement his “Jubilee Kumar” image.
For film fans, Aashirwad was never just a residence. It became part of the folklore around stardom, success and the larger than life screen personas that defined an era of Hindi cinema.
Aashirwad’S Legacy Beyond The Courtroom
That is what makes this case especially striking. The dispute is not about preserving an old film landmark in its original form, since the earlier bungalow was demolished nearly a decade ago. Instead, it is about whether a famous address can continue to be burdened with superstition after it has become someone else’s home.
By stepping in, the court has effectively acknowledged the fine line between public curiosity and personal dignity. In the case of Aashirwad, a property immortalised by Rajesh Khanna’s superstardom, that distinction matters. The order signals that nostalgia may keep the name alive, but sensational labels cannot be allowed to define the people now living behind its gates.
Stay tuned with us for the latest news, Hindi box office news, Hollywood news, OTT news, the latest Bollywood news, and the latest box office news.
