It is a phenomenon unique to Mumbai, one which defines the city and in which it can claim first-mover advantage within the country. Ever since 1961, when Usha Kiran on Carmichael Road captured the public imagination becoming at 80 metres, the tallest building in the country, Mumbai has been home to stand-out examples of residential towers, that literally reach for the sky, stretching the dynamism and aspiration of its citizenry to stratospheric heights, attracting awe and fascination.
But it wasn’t Usha Kiran’s sleek modernistic lines, its 25 floors, or the fact that it was the first high rise to boast of its own private swimming pool alone that had made such a mark on the collective psyche; more than its brick and mortar tangible features, it was the roster of its high profile residents, representing some of the city’s most famous surnames, that had made it such an iconic address-one that had turned it into a landmark on the city’s landscape.
For starters, there was the fact that by the eighties two captains of India Inc, representing two sides of Mumbai’s corporate brilliance- outlier Dhirubhai Ambani who was already shaking up the corridors of corporate India and rewriting its rules and Adi Godrej, scion of one of its oldest clans- had chosen to reside in it. Along with Ambani and Godrej, the fact that the building also boasted as its residents reigning dhurrie king Shyam Ahuja who exported his wares to the likes of Ralph Lauren and legendary Indian film actress Shobhna Samarth mother to the beauteous stars Nutan and Tanuja, which had also piqued public interest and given the building its undeniable cache.
It would not be wrong to say that the combination of its towering presence and its cluster of glamorous, famous surnames all living cheek by jowl, one on top of the other, was a unique phenomenon, one that no other city in India had been witness to or could compete with until then.
Of course, Delhi had its power-packed Lutyens’ bungalows, Kolkata had its Ballygunge and Tollygunge mansions and Chennai its Boat Club and Poes Garden villas but none presented the promise of such famous names in such close proximity to each other as had Usha Kiran.
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Before Usha Kiran’s pre-eminence, Mumbai had seen its share of high-profile residential blocks that brought together an array of dazzling personalities, but these had been low rise mid-size and discreet structures. Colaba’s sea facing Bakhtawar building had housed prominent surnames like Ratan Tata (before he moved out to his stand-alone bungalow next door) Simone Tata and Dodsal’s Rajen Kilachand amongst others. At the other end of the city (and spectrum), Juhu’s Beach House apartments on Gandhi Gram road, was becoming the pivot of a brave new Bollywood chapter involving young, free thinkers like Kabir and Protima Bedi and Rekha amongst others. Mid-city residential blocks like the sweep of the art deco oval facing structures had housed a galaxy of advertising, radio and theatre giants and the Shivaji Park residential complex had been home to many award-winning intellectuals, film producers and playwrights. For outsiders, these knots of successful individuals compelled to share (albeit at a distance) their living quarters with others of their ilk, proved a fascination: what must it be like, for instance, for two rival corporate czars or competing media tycoons to run into each other, at the lift or in the lobby –on a daily basis? Without doubt, Mumbai’s famous residences and the groupings of people they randomly brought together, was a feature unique to the city adding to its mystique.
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Today, to say that the top has blown off this concept of the coming together of fame and fortune in imposing residential constructions would be an understatement. After a hiatus, the velocity of iconic apartments, especially in the luxury sector being snapped up by high profile individuals at stratospheric prices and the groupings of famous neighbours this results in, would make your head spin. A prime example of this phenomenon of HNI individuals who make for interesting neighbours is Bollywood hunks Hrithik Roshan and Akshay Kumar who both reside in Juhu’s upmarket Prime Beach. Nepean Sea Road’s Lands’ End complex is home to a veritable galaxy of talented individuals including fashion maestro Shahab Durazi, filmmaker Zafar Hai, publisher Farzana Contractor and art maven Raisa Husain, daughter of the late MF Husain.
Meanwhile, Raheja’s Vivarea at Mahalaxmi boasts jogging tracks, a clubhouse, a coffee lounge and outdoor tennis courts and a roster of high-profile residents like Icarus’ Builders and Developers Manish Kejriwal, Avaana Capital’s Anjali Bansal, Diageo’s Anand Kripalu, Supreme Industries’ Vijay Taparia, Unilever‘s Nitin Paranjpe and M&M’s Anish Shah amongst others.
(Interestingly a Malabar Hill resident, who recently visited the complex as a guest of one of the occupants says he was struck by the ‘gated community insularity’ of its residents, all brilliant HNIs, completely socially absorbed in each other and their building neighbours and lifestyles almost like an extended family to each other.)
Buttressing this trend is Carmichael Residences, currently described as the most prestigious residential construction in the city. Spread over half an acre and a stone’s throw away from both Mukesh Ambani and Kumar Mangalam Birla Birla’s residences, the super-premium structure saw Bharat Serum & Vaccines’ Gautam Daftary snap up an entire floor of two sumptuous sea-view apartments for ₹101 crore not too long ago and along with billionaire auto component czar Anurang Jain, and the likes of Bajaj Electricals’ Shekhar Bajaj, Pidilite industries ‘ MB Parekh and Citibank’s Pramit Jhaveri, it is the latest grouping of famous names in an iconic structure to have captured the imagination and aspiration of the dynamic metropolis; and the fact that it stands almost cheek by jowl with Usha Kiran makes its arrival even more serendipitous.
But as always, in Mumbai’s ever-changing landscape, insiders say that this too will be outdone by newer taller, more luxurious and expensive arrivals on the scene.
The most likely contender will be Worli’s highly awaited Palais Royale, which after a 17-year roller-coaster saga, is heading towards completion in the next year or two. Conceptualised as the world’s tallest and most luxurious residential property, Palais Royale is slated to be the latest addition to Mumbai’s dazzling residences with some of India’s foremost business leaders and professionals buying up its 120 apartments, ranging in size between a whopping 8,000 and 14,000 sq ft.
“High-end luxury apartments are selling like hotcakes,” says a keen observer of Mumbai’s dynamic, realty landscape “ And in this regard, South Mumbai still leads -but remember SoBo now extends to Prabhadevi,” he adds.
Mumbai’s high rises: ever taller, more dazzling, featuring some of its most successful and ambitious denizens, constantly evolving and aspiring – much like the city itself.