The Bombay High Court has restrained media organisations and online platforms from referring to Aashirwad, the iconic bungalow once owned by late superstar Rajesh Khanna, as “haunted”, “cursed” or “unlucky”. The interim order came after businessman Shashi Shetty, the current owner of the property, argued that such descriptions were defamatory and affected his right to live peacefully.
Justice Arif S Doctor passed the ad-interim order on July 24, observing that the allegations made against the property were, at first glance, defamatory and infringed upon the plaintiff’s fundamental right to live with dignity.
The case was filed by businessman Shashi Shetty, who now owns the property where Aashirwad once stood. Although the original bungalow was demolished nearly a decade ago, Shetty retained the name Aashirwad after constructing a new four-storey family residence on the same plot.
According to court proceedings, Shetty approached the High Court after coming across several news reports, social media posts and online videos describing the property as haunted, cursed or unlucky.
Senior advocate Birendra Saraf, representing Shetty, informed the court that despite the original bungalow no longer existing, the new residence continued to be associated with 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 Aashirwad in its list.
Court Calls the Claims Prima Facie Defamatory
Granting interim relief, the High Court observed that the owner was “wholly justified” in seeking protection.
In its order, the court stated that the published material was, at first glance, defamatory because it suggested that Shetty lived in a haunted and supposedly cursed bungalow. The court further noted that such descriptions could interfere with his 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 appeared to create sensationalism at the plaintiff’s expense without any fault on his part.
The ad-interim relief will remain in force until the matter is heard next on August 21, 2026.
The Legacy of Aashirwad
Aashirwad remains one of Bollywood’s most famous residential properties due to its association with Rajesh Khanna. The legendary actor purchased the bungalow from veteran actor Rajendra Kumar for Rs 3.5 lakh after the latter had acquired it in the late 1950s for Rs 65,000.
Interestingly, the property has long been linked with the remarkable success of both actors. Rajendra Kumar earned the nickname “Jubilee Kumar” after delivering a string of successful films while living there. Rajesh Khanna later moved into Aashirwad and went on to become Hindi cinema’s first superstar, enjoying unprecedented popularity during the peak of his career.
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