veteran actor Jetendra Narrating his extraordinary journey from Bollywood to real estate, reveals how a modest investment in Mumbai’s Pali Hills decades ago ended up being one of his biggest success stories. The actor also shared his daughter’s experience Ekta KapoorThe desire to buy his first home changed his perspective on real estate investing and why he believes “every property has its destiny.”
From a bungalow of Rs 5.25 lakh to a property of Rs 450 crore
Recalling his family’s first major real estate purchase, Jeetendra revealed that they purchased legendary actor Bharat Bhushan’s Pali Hill bungalow for just Rs 5.25 lakh.“We bought the Pali Hill bungalow for Rs 5.25 lakh. Shockingly, the land area is 3,450 square meters. We moved there and there was already a bungalow on the lot,” he recalled in an interview with The Realty Drive.The property is located near Gautam Apartment in Pali Hill, where Jeetendra later developed a residential building himself.“I later built the building myself and sold the apartments at Rs 85 per sq ft,” he said.When asked about the value of the same piece of land today, the veteran actor estimated, “I think it is easily worth Rs 40-450 crore today.”
how Ekta Kapoor’s first home purchase changed everything
Jeetendra revealed that his daughter Ekta Kapoor’s desire to be financially independent became another turning point in his real estate journey.“One day, Ekta came to me. She was doing well in her career and wanted to be independent. She said, ‘Dad, I want to buy my own apartment.'”The actor soon realized that the size of properties advertised was not always what it seemed.“She liked a 3,000-square-foot apartment. I asked the seller, ‘What’s the actual square footage?’ He responded, ‘The actual carpet area is 1,700 square feet, but the super floor area is 3,000 square feet.” In those days, even kitchen decks and similar spaces were included in super built areas,” he said.
The Zhuhu land deal almost collapsed
Jeetendra then narrated how a chance encounter led him to purchase a plot in Juhu, which later became the family’s iconic Ekta House.“A man who owned land in Juhu came to me and said, ‘You are looking for a house. Why don’t you buy my land?’ He wanted to sell the house because he was getting harassing calls from Dubai after people started saying he was building a bungalow.”He bought the land for Rs 425 crore and then decided to buy the adjacent property.However, after accepting a nominal payment of Rs 10 lakh, the owner backed out of the deal due to rising property prices.“I went to my lawyer. He is still my lawyer today – a wonderful man. He asked me, ‘Do you have proof?’ I said, ‘Yes. I paid Rs 10 lakh by check and she cashed it.’ He immediately said, ‘Go tell her that she will never get that land unless you are alive. ‘”In the end, both parties negotiated to modify the price.“I agreed to pay a little more, and I ended up getting the house. Luckily, both lots became one large lot, giving us a bigger yard. If I only had one lot, I wouldn’t even have a proper driveway.”
“You don’t choose the land, the land chooses you.”
Looking back at decades of investing, Jeetendra says real estate is often driven by fate rather than planning.“Every transaction has a story. Destiny plays a very important role. No one is smart enough to make great property decisions alone. “Drawing a spiritual comparison, he added, “Just like people say you won’t go to Shirdi unless Sai Baba calls you, I believe the same is true for this land. You don’t choose the land, the land chooses you.”He said his investments gradually expanded from Mira Road to Pune and Powai.“Thereafter, I bought land in Mira Road for a studio, later in Pune and finally in Powai, where we developed the data center, partly in partnership with Mr. Hiranandani. In this way, actors gradually become builders. “
“Without Feng Shui we can’t do anything”
When asked if Feng Shui played a role in his development, Jitendra admitted that he follows it closely but does not believe it overrides destiny.“Without Feng Shui, we can’t do anything. But let me tell you one thing – there is a remedy for everything, except superstition.”“If you believe in Feng Shui, it gives you confidence. You’ll feel stronger because you did what you believe is right. It’s like praying to God – you feel like you’ve placed your wishes before Him. But eventually, what is meant to happen will happen. “
how Balaji TV series found its home
Jeetendra also revealed that it was almost by chance that one of his biggest architectural projects became the headquarters of Balaji Telefilms.“My last film was around 1996. At that time, the film industry was going through a difficult phase due to video piracy.”He thought his acting career was coming to an end and focused on real estate.“Around the same time, Ekta started Balaji Telefilms. I had built the building where Balaji’s office is today.”Interestingly, the building initially failed to attract buyers.“When I built that property, my construction cost was around Rs 2,800 per sq ft and the market price was only around Rs 2,600 per sq ft. So I couldn’t sell it. Luckily, Ekta’s company took off and she needed office space and Balaji moved into that building. That’s how it all happened. I had no idea then that Ekta would become so successful.
“Sharks don’t let anyone go.”
Despite being one of Bollywood’s biggest stars, Jetendra says celebrity status has never given him any advantage in real estate deals.“That doesn’t make it any easier. The sharks don’t let anyone go.”Recalling another major investment, he said: “I bought a 12-acre property with the intention of building a nursing home, but the land was entangled in litigation and it took me seven or eight years to sort out all the legal issues. During that time, my investment almost tripled.”His investment eventually increased from about Rs 8 crore to nearly Rs 21 crore, after which the value of the property increased significantly.“After all, good things come with good rewards. When I first bought it, there was nothing around it. Look at this place today.”
Bollywood and real estate
When asked about the biggest difference between acting and real estate, Jeetendra had a simple but telling answer.“As an actor, people come to see you. In real estate, I have to go see people.”He also noted that the business has its own uncertainties.“Real estate also has its uncertainties. Governments can change laws midway. Regulations can change. New restrictions may emerge.”However, for Jeetendra, success is measured in more than just profits.“Profit is more than just making money. When buyers are willing to pay for your projects, it means they appreciate your work. No one is going to give you money for free – you either make money by forcing it or by providing something of value. I’d rather make money by doing a good job.”
