Raj Kapoor’s ancestral haveli in Peshawar partially collapses after rains, earthquake; officials demand urgent restoration | Hindi Movie News

Part of legendary Bollywood actor Raj Kapoor’s historic haveli in Peshawar collapsed in a powerful earthquake on Friday night, believed to be due to recent rains, officials and local residents said. According to PTI, the century-old Kapoor Haveli, a significant cultural site in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that was declared a national heritage by the Pakistani government in 2016, suffered structural damage after incessant rains weakened the building, while tremors on Friday night further destabilized the already damaged structure.

Part of Kapoor Haveli, the ancestral home Raj KapoorIt has collapsed following heavy rains and a severe earthquake in Peshawar, raising fresh concerns over the preservation of the historic structure, PTI reported. According to officials and local residents, incessant rain weakened the already fragile building, while Friday night’s tremors further destabilized it.Khyber Pakhtunkhwa heritage council secretary Shakeel Waheedullah confirmed the damage. “Part of the wall of the haveli collapsed after the earthquake,” he said, warning about the safety of the rest of the structure.There were no casualties or injuries in the incident.Waheedullah urged the archeology department and the provincial government to take immediate steps to restore and preserve the historic building, warning that further neglect could lead to irreparable loss of the region’s cultural heritage.Kapoor Haveli, located in the heart of the famous Qissa Khwani bazaar in the city of Peshawar, is of immense historical importance and is one of the most remarkable monuments of Pakistan. The estate has long been dilapidated, despite calls for preservation.The estate was the home of 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.Kapoor haveli was one of the finest architectures of its time. The house consists of 40 rooms. The front of the house was decorated with intricate floral motifs and jharokhas.Although today the house is in a very delicate state, its beauty stands out, even though it has been abandoned for years.Raj Kapoor’s two younger siblings were born in the same haveli but died in 1931.Raj Kapoor’s brothers Shammi Kapoor and Shashi Kapoor were born in India.However, they often visited and even lived in the haveli. While the building witnessed the lives of the first generation of Kapoors, it was abandoned in 1947 after Partition.Like many other families, Raj Kapoor too moved to India after Partition, leaving the city, buildings and childhood memories behind.His sons Rishi Kapoor and Randhir Kapoor visited the site in the 1990s.