Local vendors near Mannat struggle as Shah Rukh Khan moves out with family

Vendors near Mannat struggle as SRK moves out

Due to major renovations that are anticipated to take almost two years to finish, Shah Rukh Khan has temporarily moved out of his famous mansion, Mannat. The Bollywood star has relocated to an opulent flat in Pali Hill, Mumbai, with his wife Gauri Khan and their three kids, Aryan, Suhana, and AbRam.

Although the family is experiencing a major change as a result of this move, local vendors in Mannat have also been affected, especially those in the Bandra Bandstand area, who are reporting a sharp decline in business.

Fans have long flocked to Mannat, one of Mumbai's most well-known neighbourhoods, hoping to catch a glimpse of Shah Rukh or his vehicle. Since the mansion is strongly linked to the actor's presence, many tourists are happy to just view it. The influx of fans has fuelled the growth of local businesses like food and ice cream stands, but foot traffic has drastically decreased since SRK's temporary relocation was announced.

Several vendors spoke to Instant Bollywood, sharing their concerns about the loss of customers. An ice cream vendor lamented, “Bahut farak pada hai. Ab Shah Rukh rehte bhi nahi hai aur yeh public ko pata chala gaya hai toh public kum aa rahi hai” (It makes a big difference. Shah Rukh doesn’t live here anymore, and the public has found out, so fewer people are coming).

Another vendor echoed similar sentiments, saying, “Bahut farak pada hai…. Phele, public aata tha aur rukta bhi tha… Ab jaise hi unko pata chala hai ke woh nahi rehte toh aana kum ho gaya hai” (There’s a huge difference. Earlier, people would come and stay for a while, but now that they know he doesn’t live here, fewer people are coming).

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He added, “Shah Rukh hai toh Mannat hai, nahi toh yeh kuch bhi nahi hai” (When Shah Rukh is there, Mannat is something special, but without him, it’s nothing).

Shah Rukh has leased four floors of a posh building in Pali Hill from film producer Vashu Bhagnani. The agreement was made with the property's co-owners, actor Jackky Bhagnani and Deepshikha Deshmukh, who are Bhagnani's children. It appears that Mannat's allure will always be strongly linked to the presence of its well-known resident, even with the change in location.