- Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja bought a 200-year-old mansion in Notting Hill for Rs 270 crore
- Their mansion renovation plans include a basement pool and subterranean basketball court
- A company linked to them bought five flats nearby for Rs 51 crore, causing neighbor concerns
Sonam Kapoor and her business tycoon husband Anand Ahuja's sprawling mansion in London's Notting Hill has become the centre of a dispute with neighbouring residents, according to a Daily Mail report.
The 200-year-old mansion was bought three years ago in Notting Hill for approximately Rs 270 crore by the couple. Soon after purchasing the property, they proposed an internal redevelopment that would retain only the four outer walls. The plans included a basement swimming pool and a subterranean basketball court.
The report said that after a nearly three-year planning dispute involving objections and appeals, the renovation plans were finally approved earlier this month.
However, tensions with neighbours have escalated since then.
According to the Daily Mail, a company linked to the couple also purchased five flats in a neighbouring residential building called Hillcrest for around Rs 51 crore. Some residents claimed the flats could eventually be used as "servants' quarters" for staff working at the mansion.
A representative for the couple told the publication that Sonam Kapoor had no direct involvement in the company that bought the flats. The representative said the apartments were acquired purely for investment purposes.
Growing dissent in the neighbourhood
Residents quoted by the publication said they feared objecting publicly because the couple is influential.
One homeowner told the Daily Mail, "We're being made to feel afraid of speaking out just because they're powerful. We've formed a sense of community here and that's changing because some billionaires want to make our home another playground."
The resident added, "That will change even more if they let people in from what they call 'social housing'. It's a weird threat. The whole thing stinks. There's nobody even living in some of the flats now. Some are being done up. But behind the scenes they have a say on what happens here. How is that acceptable?"
The report also stated that residents were allegedly warned during a private meeting that continued objections could result in the flats being opened up for "social housing". Another resident said homeowners feared legal action if they continued speaking to the media.
Apart from the newly acquired flats, Sonam and Anand also own another apartment and a studio in Notting Hill, in addition to homes in Mumbai and Delhi.
Anand Ahuja belongs to the billionaire family behind Shahi Exports, one of India's largest garment manufacturers. He is also the founder of fashion label Bhaane and co‑founder of sneaker retailer VegNonVeg.
Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja married on May 8, 2018. The couple are parents to two sons — Vayu, born in August 2022, and their younger son, Rudralokh, born on March 29, 2026.
