Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor's ancestral homes to become museums; Two-year renovation underway
As part of preserving South Asia's cinematic heritage, the ancestral homes of Indian film legends Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor in Peshawar are now undergoing official reconstruction and renovation.
As reported by PTI, the long-awaited project commenced on Monday (July 28), as confirmed by officials from Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. These historic structures, located in the heart of Peshawar, are set to be transformed into museums that will pay tribute to the life and legacy of the two towering figures of Indian cinema.
Preserving heritage, promoting tourism
According to Dr Abdus Samad, Director of Archaeology, the initiative will span two years with an estimated budget of Rs 70 million.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has released funds for this ambitious restoration effort. This will include both structural and aesthetic upgrades. The Directorate of Archaeology and Museums is overseeing the project. It aims to return the residences to their original state.
Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu's unmissable pictures
The plan to convert the homes into dedicated museums is rooted in a vision to not only honor the personal histories of Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor but also to enhance tourism potential in the province.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
$30K Goes a Long Way in This Clementi Condo
squarerooms
Read More
Undo
Meanwhile, these were declared national heritage sites in 2014 by then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
A cultural investment for the future
Reportedly, the advisor for Tourism Zahid Khan Shinwari emphasized the broader vision behind the project, noting that with the support of the World Bank, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa aims to make its cultural landmarks central to its tourism economy. 'These projects will revolutionise the tourism sector in the province,' he said to PTI.
'Our aim is to make Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's beautiful cultural landmarks a focal point for tourists worldwide.
'
The renovation of these heritage homes is expected to create jobs and revive interest in the shared cultural history of the Indian subcontinent, giving both locals and international visitors a chance to walk through the early and legendary chapters of cinema.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
17 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Farah Khan's cook Dilip holidays in Maldives, appoints personal manager, colours his hair blonde: ‘Tu toh Raja Babu hogaya', says the filmmaker
Farah Khan's cook became an internet sensation after he debuted with her vlog in 2023. Over the years, he met with several celebrities. He even signed brands like Myntra and Vim, where he shared the screen with actor Shah Rukh Khan and his boss Farah Khan. Now, Dilip has become the first one in his entire 'khandaan' to get a passport and visit a foreign country. In their latest vlog, Farah gave a glimpse of their trip to Maldives, where they celebrated Eid and also learnt to cook a local chicken dish. The vlog started with Dilip driving to the post office to collect his passport. Upon returning home, a thrilled Dilip jumps to touch Farah Khan's feet. With a wide smile, he says, 'Ma'am mera passport aagaya. Mere pure khandaan mein kisi ke paas passport nahi hai. (Ma'am I received my passport. I am the first person in my family to have one.)' Farah jokes, 'You are behaving as if you welcomed a child in your family.' She adds, 'Bhai, tu toh Raja Babu hogaya.' Soon they head to the airport where paps click him. They ask, 'Dilip bhai, kaisa lag raha hai? (Dilip, how are you feeling?)' He replies, 'Acha lag raha hai (I am feeling great).' Before boarding the flight, Dilip shops at the mall in airport. He buys expensive sunglasses, perfumes, and a neck pillow. While he shops, Farah Khan steals his passport with the security holding him back, saying: 'Aap andar nahi jaa sakte bina passport ke (You can proceed forward without a passport).' After a fun banter, they finally arrive at the Maldives, where Dilip surprises Farah by introducing her to his newly hired manager. He says, 'Maine manager rakha hai ma'am (I have hired a manager).' Dilip's manager Yashovardhan organises the best stay and water activities for Dilip sparking another fun conversation between the filmmaker and her manager Kalp. They soon head to their water villa, where they receive a traditional welcome. ALSO READ | Arijit Singh charges Rs 2 crore for a performance, would once come and sit in my office for hours, says Monty Sharma: 'Audio companies are making mad money' As they begin their trip in the island, Dilip yet again shocks Farah Khan–this time with blonde hair. Playing in the water, Dilip shouts, 'Ma'am, look at my new hair.' Farah quips, 'Who did this to you?' He replies, 'I did to myself to look like a foreigner.' Their first day in the island includes fun water activities followed by a relaxing spa session. On their day 2, they head to Maafushi island in Maldives where they meet the locals and click pictures with them. Many even recognise Dilip from Farah's vlogs and click pictures with them. Reviving the core of their vlogs–special food recipes–Farah and Dilip visit a local's house to learn a special chicken recipe. The duo then celebrates Eid wearing Maldives' local attire Libaas and Mundu, respectively. Their international trip prompted several responses from their viewers on YouTube. A user commented, 'This is so adorable! The way you treat Dilip ji with so much love and do not discriminate at all is just heart touching it truly depicts how good hearted and emotional person you are ma'am.' Another comment read, 'The banters between Farah ma'am and Dilip sir were already a highlight but these managers have put chaar chaand in the series… Also, Dilip sirs manager is so handsome.' Several others called Farah 'kind' and Dilip 'lucky.' The cook was recently in the news when he revealed he has constructed a three storey building in his hometown with a private pool. He has also shifted his children into an English medium school for better education.
The Hindu
17 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Prajwal Parajuly hates Chennai's airport, cabs and parks. What about the weather?
As accusations go, this is one I am not particularly ashamed of: readers say I am far too positive about Chennai in this column. They point out that, like a gleeful part-time resident who absconds just when the temperatures become unbearable, I choose to focus only on the food, festivals and the finer things. They do have a point. My column has been insufferably upbeat. Chennai, like every city, has its share of issues. Readers have demanded that I talk about them in the same vein as I do the chutneys at Murugan Idli. To embrace Chennai living further, I have eschewed the Madras Club for a weekend rental at one of the four Seaward Roads. My flat is part of a charming two-storied house on a tree-lined street. Some days, Pagir, a community art space that's housed in the building, hosts rehearsals in the living room, and I wake up to the sounds of thumping feet and singing conches. My place is a short jaunt to the beach, which I seldom take advantage of. Valmiki Nagar is a cute neighbourhood —mom-and-pop shops still thrive, the idli places are inviting, and the four Seaward Roads are somewhat walkable. Not all houses have been torn down, and the community WhatsApp group is a delight as long as you stay away from arguments about stray dogs. Now that I have a little slice of Chennai to call my own, I have unearthed a set of somewhat-first-world irritations with this city I mostly adore. It begins the minute I get off the plane. My biggest problem with Chennai is its airport. Back when I was a starry-eyed teenager in America, I often wondered if airports in India would ever catch up with those in the West. (How naïve I must have been to even consider western airports a yardstick when the Changis of the world were already being spoken about in breathless tones.) Here we are, though, a mere two decades later, smug about our world-class terminals in Bengaluru and Delhi and Mumbai being better than almost anything in America. The Chennai airport, unfortunately, is where your confidence in Indian airports goes to die. The international wing is dated, ugly and abysmally connected. We do have a direct flight to London, unlike Kolkata, but that does not negate the fact that our airport is far inferior infrastructurally. When Kolkata is outdoing you in terms of development, you know you're not just woefully behind but doing something completely wrong. If that's the international terminal, the domestic would look ancient in 1980s Delhi. In what metro — nay, in what city — is it acceptable to join a mile-long line after you have retrieved your luggage so a wobbly golf cart can haul you to a carpark that's only slightly farther than Sri Lanka? What pinches harder is that the neighbourhood is populated with exemplary airports. Hyderabad has the most efficient airport I have encountered in the country. And the Bengaluru airport is, of course, the Leela Palace meets the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest meets the Eden Project. Ah! Bengaluru. Chennaiites will never admit it, but Bengaluru is a city they view with a mix of envy and schadenfreude. A Chennai-verses-Bengaluru argument always results in platitudes about our having the beach so what if they have the weather. We are safer and less polluted but also less diverse. Sure, Bengaluru outperforms us when it comes to restaurants and pubs, but it is also worse in terms of traffic congestion and pollution. Our rival definitely trumps us in matters of tree cover and pedestrian-friendliness. We are becoming greener than before, but Bengaluru far surpasses us in walkability. I cannot even sugarcoat this: Chennai is the worst city for pedestrians in the country. I am struck by the scarcity of parks and gardens. I am contemplating a membership at the Theosophical Society Library just so I can use its grounds for walks. The good people there reading this: invite me for a talk and grant me membership. I'll read and walk. I'll walk and read. I'll read, walk and talk. When you can't use walking as transportation, you are forced to drive or get driven everywhere. The drawback, though, is that Chennai Ubers are the least professional I have seen in the country. The waiting times are awful (more awful than anywhere else in India), and the cancellations are rampant (more frequent than anywhere else in India). I have come to the sad conclusion that Uber works better in Tier-2 cities than it does here. I should, of course, try the city's bus network, which I have been told is superb. Superb is how I'd describe my rather youthful foray into Rapido. I hope it doesn't go the way of Uber, whose shenanigans here, more than anywhere else, continue to shock me. Only in Chennai have I been confronted with a phenomenon (it has happened about five times, so I am surprised I haven't come up with a name for it yet) where the driver asks that I cancel my Uber as soon as I get in the car. The idea is for me to pay him the same amount the app would charge me and for him to avoid paying the Uber commission. Now, I am all for any deviousness that involves sticking it to a gazillion-dollar conglomerate, but imagine being asked to participate in this song-and-dance when you're already late for your flight? It doesn't help nerves that said flight is from the Chennai airport. So, yes, dear readers, I do have complaints about this city I love: the lacklustre airport, the lack of walkability and Uber's lackadaisical service. Not the weather? you marvel. It's a humid city. So what? Suck it up and eat an ice-cream. Prajwal Parajuly is the author of The Gurkha's Daughter and Land Where I Flee. He loves idli, loathes naan, and is indifferent to coffee. He teaches Creative Writing at Krea University and oscillates between New York City and Sri City.
Hans India
17 minutes ago
- Hans India
Nakuul Mehta pays tribute to Indian soldiers at Siachen base camp: ‘Forever grateful and indebted'
Mumbai: Popular TV actor Nakuul Mehta recently visited the Siachen Base Camp to pay tribute to the brave Indian soldiers stationed there. The actor shared his heartfelt experience on Instagram, expressing his deep gratitude and admiration for their unwavering dedication and sacrifice. Nakuul posted a series of photos and penned a heartfelt note, saying that he feels 'forever grateful and indebted' to the sacrifices made by our soldiers. Sharing his images, the 'Bade Achhe Lagte Hain 2' actor wrote, 'It's hard to contain in words what it meant to go pay homage to our soldiers at the Siachen basecamp. Forever grateful & indebted to what our soldiers do for us. Thank you for the shared meal, the stories and the wonderful memories I take with me back to civilian life. My brother @the_freckled_indian for making me experience one of the greatest days of my life. What would life be without our yearly sojourns to Ladakh Goosebumps all over again as I even write this.' In the images, Nakuul is seen striking a pose against the backdrop of majestic mountains and rocky hills. He also shared a video of himself riding a bike through the stunning landscape. On the professional front, the actor is known for his portrayal of Shivaay Singh Oberoi in 'Ishqbaaaz,' and Ram Kapoor in 'Bade Achhe Lagte Hain 2.' Last month, Nakuul marked the 9th anniversary of his much-loved show 'Ishqbaaaz' with a heartfelt note. He wrote, '9 years to a show I gave my blood, sweat, tears and more too. But you made it yours and it took a life of its own. It became your comfort zone. A memory you return to not for the show alone, but for who you were when it aired and who you became after. For how it made you feel. Through heart aches, first love, joys, losses and everything in between. Just grateful we met somewhere in the middle of all that madness.'
