17 September,2013 02:17 AM IST | | Varun Singh
Is veteran actor Shashi Kapoor moving out of Prithvi House? According to realty sources, the legendary actor's son has bought him a sprawling 1,500 square ft apartment on the ground floor of Villa Sorrento, an upscale residential building on Juhu Tara Road.
A realtor claims that the apartment, which comes with three bedrooms, a hall and a kitchen, could not have cost anything less than Rs 5 crore. The actor's son Kunal Kapoor recently signed the deal.
Kapoor Senior, at age 75, is wheelchair-bound and has limited mobility. He stays away from most public events, but sometimes can be spotted outside Prithvi Theatre, sipping tea. According to sources, Kunal is now busy renovating the apartment, so he can welcome his father into it as soon as possible. "The apartment is on the ground floor, close to the sea. Kunal handled the deal and is overseeing its renovation," said a broker, who knows of the deal.
Contacted by MiD DAY, Kunal said, "Not related to Prithvi theatre or our professions. So no comment."
It was widely reported a few months ago that Kapoor was vying for a spot in the managing committee of the Janaki Kutir Residents Welfare Association, which presides over the functioning of the Juhu colony that houses the famous Prithvi Theatre. He backed out of the elections at the last moment, after which his son Kunal was one of his only supporters who bagged a place in the committee.
Asked if this could have been a possible reason that motivated the search for a new home, a realtor said, "It's a known fact that easy accessible places, and a ground floor flat near the sea would be a better place for him to stay."
Before coming to Prithvi House, Shashi stayed in a building on Napean Sea Road, in South Mumbai.
After his wife's death, he moved in with Kunal. Just two years ago, Sanjana Kapoor, who used to handle the affairs at Prithvi relinquished all control, leaving Kunal to pick up the reins. u00a0