Actor Johnny Lever's residence in Mumbai’s Lokhandwala speaks of his humility and simplicity, and is a journey into his life. In a video posted by Galatta India on YouTube on October 17, the actor who has made the country laugh with his performances for decades, gave a tour of his duplex home, which was the first house he bought with his own money.
A journey from Dharavi's chawl to a duplex in Lokhandwala
The video shows Johnny Lever giving a tour of his sea-facing house, which he bought in 1990. According to the actor, he first purchased a duplex with three bedrooms and a hall on the first floor and one hall and three bedrooms. He revealed that he first bought the top floor for ₹20 lakh, and then the floor below for ₹4 crore. “20 times badh gaya price (The price increased 20 times)!” he quipped in the clip.
He first lived in Dharavi and then moved from chawls to a duplex in Lokhandwala, where he had Sridevi as his neighbour. "Pehla ghar Dharavi mein tha, chawl thi. Uske baad slums mein aaye…jhopadpatti abhi bhi hai. Mera jhopda abhi bhi hai wahan. Kisi ki shaadi hai, function hai, log aate hain, hum jaate hain (The first house was in Dharavi, it was a chawl. After that we moved to slums…the slums are still there. My hut is still there. If there is someone's wedding, there is a function, people come, we go),” he shared.
{{/usCountry}}He first lived in Dharavi and then moved from chawls to a duplex in Lokhandwala, where he had Sridevi as his neighbour. "Pehla ghar Dharavi mein tha, chawl thi. Uske baad slums mein aaye…jhopadpatti abhi bhi hai. Mera jhopda abhi bhi hai wahan. Kisi ki shaadi hai, function hai, log aate hain, hum jaate hain (The first house was in Dharavi, it was a chawl. After that we moved to slums…the slums are still there. My hut is still there. If there is someone's wedding, there is a function, people come, we go),” he shared.
{{/usCountry}}The actor's house is a treasure trove of memories and also documents his personal life, accolades, and journey in Bollywood, including his engagement in 1983, the first Filmfare award he won for Best Performance in a Comic Role, for Deewana Mastana, and his wedding pictures. He also revealed that his wife designed the interiors of their house herself, adding simplicity to every corner. Additionally, while the upper floor is designed for their children, the lower one is for larger gatherings.
Johnny Lever's favourite spot
The actor revealed that his favourite place in the house is the hall, where he spends most of his time doing his homework and watching movies and videos on various streaming channels. For the actor, the space is a treasure trove as everything is available here, along with a quote that holds a special meaning for him and means that ‘a house is built with wisdom’. “When I am very happy…I sit here,” he said.
The actor stressed that he and his wife wanted their home to be simple, as they didn't want the feeling of a studio shoot in their safe space. “Ghar toh ghar hona chahiye (A home should feel like home),” he explained.