MP builder Abhay Jain ready to let go of Kishore Kumar’s ancestral property in Khandwa

There have been concerns raised by the local media and local population in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh, over the proposed sale of late actor-singer Kishore Kumar’s ancestral property. The locals want the government to intervene and label the property a heritage site.

Kishore’s Kumar’s sons Amit (born to first wife Ruma Guha Thakurta), Sumit (born to fourth wife Leena Chandvarkar), and brother Anoop Kumar’s son Arjun are said to have agreed to a Rs14 crore deal to sell the property to a local builder, Abhay Jain. The 7,200 square foot bungalow is located in the Bombay Bazaar area of Khandwa.

Speaking to Cinestaan.com, Jain said, "The registry is not yet done, but a deal has been struck to sell the property."

The property was earlier said to be disputed, but Jain said that the family disputes were sorted out and it was Kishore Kumar’s two sons Amit, Sumit, and Anoop Kumar’s son Arjun who struck a deal with him. “The family dispute was all sorted out. Kishore Kumar’s sons — Amit, Sumit, and [brother] Anoop Kumar’s son Arjun, collectively took the decision to sell the property. I’m told that Ashok Kumar and his children had long let go of their claim, and so they were not part of this deal,” said Jain.

The proposed sale has raised concerns among the locals who want the property to be labelled as a heritage site.

“The builder in question is a known name. He has constructed the Smart City Colony, and the Sandalwood Garden. He will obviously use it for commercial purposes. This proposed sale hasn’t gone down well with locals and the local media. While there is nothing official as yet, every child in the area is talking about this deal. Most locals want the government to interfere and take over the property. The public sentiment is against this sale,” a local Khandwa real estate agent told us.

Jain is aware of the public sentiments and he isn’t averse to letting go of the property, but stated that the government shouldn’t expect the family to donate the property to it.

“If the government acquires the property then the family members, too, have no objection. Though we’ve struck a deal, we, too, have no objection if the government wants to use the property to build something in honour of Kishore Kumar ji. Everyone will be pleased with that. However, if the people or the government expect the family to donate the property, then that is wrong thinking. It is a private property. It’s the family prerogative to decide whether they want to sell the property and to whom. The government should compensate the family, and return whatever is due to us. We are more than happy to move away," added Jain.

Jain is likely to use the property for commercial purposes, but he is open to building something in honour of the legendary artiste.

"We respect the sentiments of the Khandwa people who have a strong attachment with Kishore Kumar. We will strive to respect those sentiments. The property is meant for commercial use, and whatever is possible within the commercial use, we’re ready to make an arrangement," Jain affirmed.

The property belonged to Kishore Kumar’s father Kunjalal Ganguly, who was a lawyer. His mother Gouri Devi, too, hailed from a wealthy family. Kishore Kumar and his two brothers, Ashok Kumar and Anoop Kumar, had spent their childhood days in the house, famously known in the area as “Gauri Kunj” and “Ganguly House". Though Kishore Kumar and his brothers had later left for Mumbai to make their careers, Kishore was said to have an emotional attachment to the ancestral bungalow. The actor, singer, composer’s last rites were performed in Khandwa city, in 1987.

According to a local, the bungalow is only manned by one caretaker and locals sometimes visit the house.