Anupam Kher says he chose to live on rent instead of buying his own house, years after selling it to Alia Bhatt for Rs 8.99 crore: ‘I wanted a simple life’
veteran actor Anupam Kher He has never shied away from speaking about his humble beginnings, and his recent revelations about selling his Mumbai apartment reflect the same philosophy. The actor who once sold his property, which he later bought Alia BhattNow she has opened up about why she deliberately decided not to own a house at one point in her life.Recalling his initial struggles during an appearance on Zindagi with Richa, Anupam shared that he had reached Mumbai with just Rs 37 in his pocket. Despite building a successful career over the years, he said that his decisions were never driven solely by financial goals.
‘It was a conscious decision, not a compulsion’
Opening up about selling his house almost a decade ago, Anupam revealed that the move was deliberate and rooted in a desire for simplicity rather than necessity.Referring to his wife, he said, “Kiran and I moved to a different place, and it took us four years to find it. Then she became an MP and moved to Chandigarh. At one point I wondered why we were trying so hard for a house. So we just started living simply.” Kirron Kher.He said living in a rented space feels more grounded and less complicated, allowing him to focus on what really matters – his art. He reiterated, “My goal is not just money. I want to be the best actor I can be.”
A mother’s dream came true
While he chose simplicity for himself, Anupam made sure to fulfill his mother’s wish of buying a house in Shimla. He told that he had always dreamed of a simple house, but he went one step further and bought a huge property for them.Interestingly, despite all this grandeur, she prefers a simple lifestyle and comes home mainly during summers.
Lessons from failure and success
Reflecting on life and ambition, the actor opened up about how success can often lead to an endless chase for more. “If you have Rs 10 crore, you first want Rs 20 crore, then Rs 25 crore,” he said.He emphasized that failure has been his greatest teacher, inspiring him to grow and remain creative. He said, “Failure teaches you. It helps you grow, reinvent yourself and reminds you that you are alive. You shouldn’t feel self-pity. I feel like that sometimes, but after that, I find joy in living again. People have forgotten how to really live.”
Alia Bhatt connection
Let us tell you, Anupam’s former Mumbai apartment was later bought by Alia Bhatt in 2015. Reports suggest that he bought two properties in a building in Juhu for a combined amount of around Rs 8.99 crore.
Indian Navy Navy chief Admiral DK Tripathi has made public its maritime security strategy recently, which mentions Hormuz as a “priority area of interest” among other such “choke points”.Maritime choke points in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) constitute critical nodes that have a disproportionate impact on global trade and energy security. Such choke points in the IOR are the Cape of Good Hope, Mozambique Channel, Bab-el-Mandeb, Suez Canal, Strait of Hormuz, Malacca and Singapore Straits, Sunda Strait, Lombok Strait, Ombai Strait and Vater Strait. The Straits of Malacca and Singapore connect the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean, providing the shortest sea route from the Persian Gulf to the East Asia/West Pacific regions.The Sunda Strait serves as an alternative route to Malacca and Singapore, being 50 nautical miles (nm) long and 15 nm wide at its north-east entrance. Large ships prefer not to pass through this strait due to navigational hazards, depth restrictions and strong currents. The Ombai Strait is located between the islands of Alor and Timor, and the Wetar Strait is located between Timor and Wetar islands. Due to distance, transit through this region is generally not preferred as an alternative to the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.As India’s economic and strategic activities in the oceans expand, the range and intensity of external influences affecting national interests are expected to increase significantly in the coming years, requiring the Indian Navy to operate on a wide geographical canvas. As a result, the entire maritime area beyond the primary area of maritime interest has been designated as a ‘secondary’ area of maritime interest, the document said.The list of priority areas of maritime interest of the Indian Navy includes “India’s coastal areas and maritime zones; the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, the Andaman Sea, the Laccadive Sea and their coastal areas; the Persian Gulf region and its coastal areas; the Gulf of Oman, the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea and their coastal areas; the South-West Indian Ocean, including the IOR island nations and the coastal areas of the east coast of Africa and choke points to and from the Indian Ocean Including the Six Degree Channel, the 8/9 Degree Channel, the Straits of Hormuz, Malacca, Lombok and the Cape of Good Hope and their vital energy and resource interests;Beyond energy, the maritime sector is the primary source of imports critical to India’s food security, public health and industrial capacity. India will meet 73% of its fertilizer requirements in 2025 through domestic production. Yet, as the world’s second largest fertilizer consumer, India remained dependent on imports for Muriate of Potash (MOP) and heavily depended on foreign sources for Diammonium Phosphate (DAP). It said approximately 16 million tonnes of edible oil is imported annually by sea, with India’s maritime strength, infrastructure and sea-based activities being key drivers for its economic growth and prosperity.
