The Dubai property boom has caught the eye of many an investor, with international celebrities leading the charge in this upswing trend, which has seen names such as the Beckhams and the Bachchans lending their weight to the local real estate market in the past.
The latest celebrity to confirm his illustrious family is on the hunt for a “home away from home” is Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor, who was in Dubai on Wednesday with parents Rishi and Neetu Kapoor, to promote their upcoming film, ‘Besharam’.
However, film promotions were not the only thing the family had planned for this whirlwind trip here.
“We love coming to Dubai; the city, the vibe, it is all very welcoming,” revealed the younger Kapoor, in an exclusive chat. “In the last few years, I have visited the city to promote nearly every film of mine, be it ‘Rockstar’, ‘Barfi!’, ‘Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani’ or now ‘Besharam’.”
“Dubai’s standing as a film hub today has made this the biggest international market for Indian movies; this makes it imperative for our industry to tap into its potential with frequent celebrity appearances and film promotions.”
The movie marketing blitzkrieg aside, Kapoor also appears to have taken advantage of a certain level of privacy the emirate offers, with his rumoured girlfriend and Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif and the star having been spotted dining at local restaurants by fans in the past few months.
A property here seemed the next logical step.
When quizzed, Kapoor did not deny this, saying: “We are looking at investing in a property in Dubai, or rather finding ourselves a home away from home.
“My mom has already met with a few property brokers and will be extending her trip to shortlist a few places before she flies back to Mumbai.”
The actor denied that any community in particular has caught their eye, saying that their options were open presently and mother Neetu Singh would be crucial to making the final decision.
Often referred to as the first family of Bollywood, their name on a property deed here would be one in a long line of celebrity names from India that have snapped up homes in the emirate, with the most latest being superstar Salman Khan’s family having invested in the 21-storey residential tower, Burj Pacific.
Back in May, brother Sohail Khan had snapped up a home in this Business Bay zipcode, for which he is a brand ambassador; however, earlier this week, the actor/director also confirmed that his entire family has invested in a series of homes in the tower.
Last month, it was actor Akshay Kumar who had also confessed that he was house hunting in Dubai, with wife Twinkle Khanna spotted on The Palm Jumeirah, checking out beachfront villas there.
This manmade island is also home to Shah Rukh Khan, who was one of the first Bollywood stars to find a second home in the city.
Other actors who have a home in Dubai include Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan who own a villa in the Jumeirah Golf Estates; meanwhile, Shilpa Shetty has an apartment in Burj Khalifa.
