A profound piece of cinematic history hangs by a thread in Pakistan. The historic ancestral properties of legendary Indian actors Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar, located in the heart of Peshawar, are on the verge of absolute destruction.
Local heritage experts, preservationists, and residents of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province issued an urgent warning on Sunday, May 17, 2026, revealing that the century-old, rain-battered structures have been severely compromised.
Already decaying from years of official neglect, the historic landmarks suffered irreversible structural shifts following a powerful 5.9-magnitude earthquake that jolted the region on April 3, 2026, leaving both properties dangerously unstable.
Cracked Foundations and Caved-in Roofs: A Look into the Ruined Landmarks
The structural degradation inside Peshawar’s dense historical pockets is alarming. The iconic Kapoor Haveli, situated in the Dhaki Nalbandi area near the famous Qissa Khwani Bazar, has developed massive, deep fissures across its main foundations. Built between 1918 and 1922 by Dewan Basheswarnath Kapoor father of Prithviraj Kapoor, the founding patriarch of the Bollywood dynasty the haveli was the birthplace of showman Raj Kapoor.
Meanwhile, just a short distance away in the Mohallah Khudadad neighborhood, the ancestral home of tragedy king Dilip Kumar has effectively been reduced to a deserted ruin. Recent pre-monsoon downpours have caused the roofs of multiple rooms to collapse entirely, with the surviving masonry walls slowly disintegrating into piles of debris with each passing storm.
Paper Reforms and Bureaucratic Stagnation
The rapid decay of these landmarks stands as a stark testament to administrative inertia. Both properties were officially designated as national heritage sites by the Pakistani government back in 2016.
In a bid to rescue the architectural marvels, the provincial KPK government approved ₹2.35 crore (PKR) between 2021 and 2022 to legally acquire the homes, followed by an additional allocation of ₹3.38 crore (PKR) in July 2025 specifically reserved for complete conservation and restoration. However, speaking to reporters on the condition of anonymity, a provincial archaeology official admitted that zero physical restoration progress has been made on the ground due to severe bureaucratic delays and a persistent reallocation of funds.
Locals Warn of Impending Disasters
With the heavy South Asian monsoon season barely a few weeks away, local activists and immediate neighbors are terrified that the properties will completely give way, endangering nearby residential blocks and commercial markets.
Abid Hussain, who operates a printing business immediately adjacent to the towering Kapoor Haveli, expressed deep anxiety over the government’s prolonged silence. “The heavy rains and April’s intense earthquake tremors have completely broken the core strength of the building,” Hussain warned.
“There are massive structural splits moving up the walls. This isn’t just about losing history anymore; it’s a ticking time bomb that could collapse into a crowded street and trigger a major fatal accident at any moment.”