The dilapidated ancestral home of legendary actor Dilip Kumar here in Pakistan is at risk of collapse as the Khyber-Pakthunkhwa government is yet to acquire the building despite it being declared a national heritage by the federal government.
The local people of the Qissa Khawani Bazaar in Peshawar, where the house is located, contended that dispute over its ownership has also not been resolved by the Khyber-Pakthunkhwa government yet.
The house is located in a congested area and can be reached only through a narrow six feet wide and 33 feet long street, making it difficult for visitors to approach it.
The dispute between the owner of the house and previous provincial government over the money transaction still needs to be resolved where as the present government has not provided any funds for purchasing the house, local people said while celebrating his 94th birthday yesterday.
The condition of the house is extremely dilapidated and it may collapse any time, they said.
The Khyber-Pakthunkhwa government has passed the antiquity act to look after the properties declared national heritage but the house of Kumar has not been taken over under the said law, they said.
The legendary Indian actor, who was born as Yousuf Khan in Peshawar in 1922, is popular in both countries, and for years, there have been requests in Pakistan for salvaging his ancestral home.
The 94-year-old Bollywood actor, also known as 'Tragedy King' for his iconic portrayal of melancholy characters, is so adored in Pakistan that in 1998 it conferred on him its highest civilian award, Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Order of Excellence).
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had last year declared Kumar's house a 'national heritage,' that can promote close cultural relations between India and Pakistan.
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