Mumbai: Actor John Abraham, one of the most prolific investors in Mumbai’s real estate, has purchased a bungalow in Bandra West for a reported Rs 84 crore.The bungalow, built in 1926, is owned by a Parsi family—the DeVitres—and is in a quiet lane called St Martin Road that connects Bandra’s landmark Turner Road to the bustling Hill Road. It has a nondescript name: 20, St Martin Road. It has four bedrooms, a large hall, a garden with fruit-bearing trees and an outhouse.Does the actor plan to redevelop the property? “He has no such plans. He just loved the place,’’ said a person aware of the transaction.Fredun DeVitre, co-owner of the property, told TOI: “The children have settled abroad, and they essentially wanted us to settle things now. The family was not keen on selling it to a developer, who would tear it down and build a tower.”In Dec 2023, Abraham purchased a bungalow on Linking Road, Khar, for Rs 75 crore. The property—372 Nirmal Bhavan—is a ground-plus-two storey structure, which belonged to Pravin Nathalal Shah and family. The plot is located in a prime area of Linking Road, which commands one of the highest commercial property rates in the city. Abraham is one of several Bollywood personalities who have heavily invested in real estate. In 2009, he bought a prime plot at Union Park near Petit School in Bandra West from a Parsi family, the Rattanshas.Property experts said many Bollywood celebrities invest in real estate, including luxury apartments, villas and commercial spaces for personal or investment reasons. Some have launched their own real estate firms or partnered with existing developers to create housing projects, resorts or other real estate ventures. Others have also forayed into interior design and home decor businesses. Property market and film industry sources said leading celebrities invest in residential and commercial projects or buy sprawling penthouses, row houses and bungalows for personal use. The preferred locations are in the suburb between Bandra and Andheri.
