Nikhil Kamath, the co-founder of Zerodha, has ignited a storm of criticism following his recent decision to purchase his first apartment, a move that contradicts his long-standing advocacy for renting over buying property. The spotlight on Kamath’s new acquisition coincided with the resurfacing of images showcasing his former rented residence, a 7,000-square-foot apartment in Bengaluru, which has drawn significant backlash due to its maximalist interiors.
It began when Rahul Gonsalves, the head of design at PhonePe, shared photographs of Kamath’s previous home, mistakenly identifying it as his newly purchased property. The post quickly gained traction, prompting numerous users on X (formerly Twitter) to echo Gonsalves' sentiments about the apartment’s design, which many described as "tacky" and unappealing.
“In all of this Nikhil Kamath house debate, what is being lost sight of is the absolute travesty that are its interiors. Seriously, you can afford far better interior designers/architects,” Gonsalves stated.
The images showcased a lavish aesthetic, leading some social media users to express their disdain. Comments such as “Rich does not equal refined” and “It’s taken me a lifetime to realise that affluence doesn’t guarantee good design sense” were quite
Critics likened the interior to a chaotic mix of styles, with one user noting, “Wow, it’s so ugly. A little mix of Memphis with organic modern and maximalist boho. They didn't even pick a lane.” Another added, “I love maximalism but I'd get a migraine living here."
"Yes, the choice of wallpapers & furniture is absolutely 3rd class. 5 mins of search on Pinterest could find you better options," another user stated.
Despite the outcry, some users defended Kamath, emphasising that the apartment was a rental. They pointed out that due to rental agreements, he likely had limited freedom to make significant changes to the interior decor. One user remarked, “Actually, this is Nikhil's rented house at KF Tower. One can't do much to alter it as per agreement and so the tragic output.”
Meanwhile, when asked about the financial strength gained by purchasing a home, Kamath expressed dissatisfaction with the illiquidity of real estate investments. “I feel something like gold can give that to me. I hate the illiquid nature of real estate. Places like this have fewer buyers and if 10 people decide to sell, then price goes haywire and pricing is very arbitrary in nature," he said.
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