Peshawar, The ancestral homes of legendary Indian actors Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor in Peshawar can collapse any time, heritage experts and locals said Sunday, after the rain-battered buildings became vulnerable due to a recent earthquake in Pakistan.
Both houses in the capital city of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province were declared national heritage by the government of Pakistan in 2016.
With the pre-monsoon showers and the rainy season barely weeks away, experts have drawn the government’s attention to the neglected condition of the buildings and demanded immediate preservation of the landmark edifices.
Once an architectural jewel of Peshawar, the century-old Kapoor Haveli in Dhaki Nalbandi of Qissa Khwani Bazar neighbourhood suffered structural damage after continuous rains weakened the building, while tremors on April 3 further destabilised its already dilapidated structure.
Dilip Kumar’s house, a typical Peshawari building that once echoed with life and festivity but now resembles a deserted ruin, is located in the Mohallah Khudadad area. The building is in an alarming state, with the roofs of several rooms already caved in, while walls continue to crumble into debris with every rainfall.
Shakil Waheedullah, secretary of the non-profit Cultural Heritage Council, KPK, told PTI that the government, instead of preserving the historical landmarks, has abandoned the structures which are rapidly deteriorating.
In 2021-22, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government approved the release of PKR 2.35 crore to purchase both ancestral houses and directed that they be converted into museum/s by the Archaeology Department after procurement.
In July 2025, the provincial government approved PKR 33.8 million for the restoration and conservation of the two historic buildings.
However, there has been no progress in over five years after the decision.
“The government cannot carry out the preservation work due to a lack of funds and other resources. The government is serious in converting both the heritage buildings into museums in the name of Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar,” a provincial government official said on condition of anonymity.
Residents and heritage activists said the houses now await urgent restoration efforts rather than mere official statements.
Abid Hussain, who runs a printing shop next to Raj Kapoor’s haveli, expressed concerns over the dilapidated conditions of the building.
“Heavy rains and strong earthquake tremors in recent months have severely weakened the structure, leaving deep cracks in its walls and foundations that could trigger a major accident at any moment,” Hussain said.
The Kapoor Haveli was the home to Prithviraj Kapoor the first member of the Kapoor clan to enter the film industry. The house was built by his father, Dewan Basheswarnath Kapoor, between 1918 and 1922. Raj Kapoor and his uncle Trilok Kapoor were born here.
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