As Shah Rukh Khan moves out of Mannat, vendors at Bandra Bandstand look at an uncertain future: ‘Public kam aa rahi hai’
Shah Rukh Khan, along with Gauri, Aryan, Suhana, and AbRam, has relocated to four floors of a luxury apartment building in the nearby Pali Hill area of Bandra.
The streets of Bandstand area of Bandra, home to Shah Rukh Khan's iconic Mannat mansion, are witnessing an unusual lull. His absence from his home, courtesy of renovation work, has left a void that's being felt far beyond the mansion's walls. Also read: After Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan also set to move out of his Pali Hill home, here’s why
Local vendors, who typically thrive on the attention and footfall generated by Shah Rukh Khan’s presence, are claiming their sales have taken a drastic hit.
Shah Rukh’s absence takes a toll on local vendors
The reason behind the vendors' woes is simple: Shah Rukh Khan and his family’s presence outside Mannat was a major draw for fans and passersby. The actor's fans would often gather outside the mansion, buying food and merchandise from local vendors, while also snapping photos outside the mansion. Now, the fan frenzy is missing due to the absence of the star. Many vendors shared their woes in a video by Instant Bollywood.
“Bahut farak pada hai. Ab Shah Rukh rehte bhi nahi hai aur yeh public ko pata chala gaya hai toh public kum aa rahi hai (It makes a big difference. Shah Rukh doesn't live here anymore, and the public has found out, fewer people are coming)," an ice-cream seller said when asked about the business and footfall.
Another vendor said, “Bahut farak pada hai.... Phele, public aata tha aur rukta bhi tha... Ab jaise hi unko pata chala hai ke woh nahi rehte toh aana kum ho gaya hai. Aur jo log aate hai, jab unko pata chalta hai ke SRK nahi rehte ab, woh log auto and taxi ko turn kara lete hain (There's a huge difference. Earlier, people would come and stay for a while. But now that they've found out he doesn't live here, fewer people are coming. And even those who do come, when they find out SRK doesn't live here anymore, they often turn their autos and taxis around and leave)”.
The vendor adds, “Shah Rukh hai toh Mannat hai, nahi toh yeh kuch bhi nahi hai (When Shah Rukh is there, Mannat is something special, but without him, it's nothing).”
Why has Shah Rukh Khan moved out of Mannat
Shah Rukh, along wife Gauri and kids - Aryan, Suhana, and AbRam - have relocated to four floors of a luxury apartment building in the nearby Pali Hill area of Bandra. As per a report in HT, Shah Rukh has leased these floors from film producer Vashu Bhagnani. Shah Rukh's Red Chillies Entertainment entered into a leave and licence agreement with Bhagnani’s actor son, Jackky Bhagnani and his daughter, Deepshika Deshmukh, who co-owns the property, Puja Casa.
The renovation work at Mannat includes a long-proposed extension of the bungalow, for which Shah Rukh had to get the court's permission. Mannat is a Grade III heritage structure, and any structural change can only take place after securing proper permissions. Several insiders shared that the four floors will house not just the Khan family but also their security and staff and even have some office space. “It is clearly not as capacious as Mannat; there is enough space to accommodate his security and other staff,” said a source. He will reportedly pay rent of ₹24 lakh per month for the four floors. The renovation in Mannat may take up to two years.
Get more updates from Bollywood, Taylor Swift, Hollywood, Music and Web Series along with Latest Entertainment News at Hindustan Times.
Get more updates from Bollywood, Taylor Swift, Hollywood, Music and Web Series along with Latest Entertainment News at Hindustan Times.