Posted:
For Hearth's sake
Rajeev Khandelwal gives Filmfare a guided tour of his dream house
Actor Rajeev Khandelwal has always been passionate about the places he's lived in, be it rented or his own. For him, a home's not merely about four walls, but a beautiful place built together by him and his wife Manjiri Kamitkar. It's not one of those houses, which focusses more on crystals and chandeliers than on people. There's nothing pretentious, it's simple, warm and happy.
Rajeev bought this house in 2010 immediately after his engagement to Manjiri. "I was living in a small two-bedroom apartment earlier but when Manjiri came into my life I started to look around for a little bigger accommodation," he says adding, "They say house hunting is a challenging process. But I have been lucky on that front even though I had a demanding wish list. I wanted a quiet area, a little garden, enough space for a mini theatre, a steam room, a lounge, a library, a dedicated room for parents and friends, a room for Bhagat, my Man Friday, a walk-in closet and an open kitchen... Phew! Also, my budget had a limit." He was lucky to find a three-storied row house near Film City.
Rajeev believes Manjiri's luck rubbed off on him to bag this dream house. "We both loved the layout of the house and the location. We did the house up from scratch." Their good friend and interior designer Richa Bahl joined the couple on the mission to turn their dream into a beautiful reality. "We were lucky to have Richa working for us as she has brilliant taste. Richa and Manjiri picked up things from many places within the country and abroad. We bought a lot of pieces from Rajasthan." He's hugely satisfied by the end result. "It's been three years but I still get excited by the thought of shutting myself in the library for a few hours or watching a film in the mini theatre or just sitting in the garden area doing nothing."
A house reflects its people. No wonder Rajeev's house does not have any pretentious stuff. "Our home may not be the most ostentatious or glamourous but it has positive energy. For an unconventional person like me, my home blends perfectly with my personality. I wanted my house to be simple. All what I requested both Richa and Manjiri was to give me a space which makes me feel close to nature. Hence the garden area is my most favourite corner. Bhagat understands my taste brilliantly and it is he who runs the show in the garden. For Manjiri, well this is her first house. It's sentimental for her. In fact, she quit her job to do up the house and never felt like going back to her career. Manjiri and I hardly step out as we love spending time in our little nest. Every day is like a party here." That explains the cheerful yet serene vibe around them.
"The minibar is the ideal spot for parties. I have a lot of get togethers but I don't make drinks''
Actor Rajeev Khandelwal has always been passionate about the places he's lived in, be it rented or his own. For him, a home's not merely about four walls, but a beautiful place built together by him and his wife Manjiri Kamitkar. It's not one of those houses, which focusses more on crystals and chandeliers than on people. There's nothing pretentious, it's simple, warm and happy.
Rajeev bought this house in 2010 immediately after his engagement to Manjiri. "I was living in a small two-bedroom apartment earlier but when Manjiri came into my life I started to look around for a little bigger accommodation," he says adding, "They say house hunting is a challenging process. But I have been lucky on that front even though I had a demanding wish list. I wanted a quiet area, a little garden, enough space for a mini theatre, a steam room, a lounge, a library, a dedicated room for parents and friends, a room for Bhagat, my Man Friday, a walk-in closet and an open kitchen... Phew! Also, my budget had a limit." He was lucky to find a three-storied row house near Film City.
Rajeev believes Manjiri's luck rubbed off on him to bag this dream house. "We both loved the layout of the house and the location. We did the house up from scratch." Their good friend and interior designer Richa Bahl joined the couple on the mission to turn their dream into a beautiful reality. "We were lucky to have Richa working for us as she has brilliant taste. Richa and Manjiri picked up things from many places within the country and abroad. We bought a lot of pieces from Rajasthan." He's hugely satisfied by the end result. "It's been three years but I still get excited by the thought of shutting myself in the library for a few hours or watching a film in the mini theatre or just sitting in the garden area doing nothing."
A house reflects its people. No wonder Rajeev's house does not have any pretentious stuff. "Our home may not be the most ostentatious or glamourous but it has positive energy. For an unconventional person like me, my home blends perfectly with my personality. I wanted my house to be simple. All what I requested both Richa and Manjiri was to give me a space which makes me feel close to nature. Hence the garden area is my most favourite corner. Bhagat understands my taste brilliantly and it is he who runs the show in the garden. For Manjiri, well this is her first house. It's sentimental for her. In fact, she quit her job to do up the house and never felt like going back to her career. Manjiri and I hardly step out as we love spending time in our little nest. Every day is like a party here." That explains the cheerful yet serene vibe around them.
"The minibar is the ideal spot for parties. I have a lot of get togethers but I don't make drinks''
11