“Take a right/left turn from Dilip Kumar’s bungalow,” is a statement that travellers looking for directions on Pali Hill have heard innumerable times. No more, however.

The landmark bungalow belonging to Hindi cinema’s greatest legend will soon be demolished, pushing up the rapidly rising tally of Bollywood bungalows that have vanished from Pali’s leafy environs.

Dilip Kumar’s wife Saira Banu, when contacted, insisted that maintenance work was going on, and that the thespian would let TOI know if there was anything.

However, the actor’s nephew, Ayub Khan, confirmed the demolition. “It’s really sad,” he said. “48, Pali Hill, was almost like a tourist attraction.” Ayub said he was unaware of what was coming up in place of the house but remarked that the neighbouring bungalow, which belonged to a doctor, was being demolished as well.

In the overheated real estate market, prices in Pali Hill reportedly stand at Rs 15,000-20,000 per square foot, and builders have been eyeing old bungalows such as this one.

Dilip Kumar bought the spacious ground-plus-one bungalow in the 1950s when he was at the height of his fame with films like Devdas , Madhumati and Naya Daur . In 1966, after he married actress Saira Banu, who lived down the lane, he moved into her house. However, his brothers, Aslam and Ehsaan Khan, continued to live in his bungalow, which has a huge garden and a badminton court where the thespian would play to keep himself fit.

Lore has it that he visited the court especially before embarking on the shooting of Ramesh Sippy’s Shakti where he was cast in a pivotal role with Amitabh Bachchan, because he wanted to look as fit as Bachchan.

More and more bungalows of top 1960s film personalities are being razed and redeveloped into highrises.