Sussanne Khan charges THIS whopping amount to design a house, Hrithik Roshan’s ex-wife spills secrets of her business

Sussanne Khan charges THIS whopping amount to design a house, Hrithik Roshan’s ex-wife spills secrets of her business

Sussanne Khan, Hrithik Roshan’s ex-wife, has carved a distinct identity for herself as one of India’s most sought-after celebrity interior designers. While many may know her as the Bollywood superstar’s former partner, Sussanne is a successful entrepreneur who has built a thriving design empire through her firm, The Charcoal Project. In a recent chat with Zerodha, she revealed intriguing details about her business and the hefty fee she charges for transforming homes.

Sussanne explained that her firm follows a transparent flat-fee model. “We charge a flat design fee per square foot. We don’t take commissions on what clients buy. For a 2,000 sq. ft. apartment, depending on the client’s budget, location, and choice of materials, fees range from Rs 1,200 to Rs 2,000 per sq ft,” she shared. This means a luxury 1,500 sq. ft. apartment in Mumbai could cost anywhere between Rs 25–30 lakh for her design services alone. She further clarified that 30% of the amount is taken upfront before she begins creating the design, followed by stage-wise payments as the project progresses.

Reflecting on her entrepreneurial journey, Sussanne recalled the early struggles. In 2011, she launched The Charcoal Project, India’s first conceptual home store, at a time when most businesses were simply selling furniture. “In the beginning, people dismissed me as just another ‘celebrity interior designer.’ They didn’t know my backstory. Many told me this wouldn’t work, but by God’s grace, we are still standing strong after 14 years,” she said.

The road, however, was not without challenges. Sussanne admitted she was not strong with numbers and required guidance on financial matters. “I might be an entrepreneur, but when it comes to finances, I needed help. My brother-in-law guided me through that part,” she revealed.

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Over the years, Sussanne has transformed her venture into a Make in India initiative. For the past four years, all her products have been manufactured in Maharashtra. She hopes to one day set up her own factory to bring everything under one roof, though she admits that requires significant investment.

The Covid-19 pandemic was another testing time. With business slowing down in 2021, she decided to downsize and leased out part of her store to Decathlon. Yet, her focus remains on growth. “My goal now is to sustain creativity while scaling it. If we can do that, we will expand to other cities and grow online,” she concluded.