Bollywood star Sonam Kapoor and her billionaire husband Anand Ahuja are facing a fierce backlash from residents in London’s ultra-wealthy Notting Hill. A company tied to the couple recently dropped £4 million (Rs 51 crore) to acquire five flats and garage spaces in the 1960s Hillcrest residential block. The purchase instantly triggered panic among the building’s residents, who fear the couple plans to convert the units into “servants’ quarters” for their sprawling nearby estate.
This new property feud is the boiling point of a three-year dispute. Back in 2023, Kapoor and Ahuja purchased a dilapidated 200-year-old mansion adjacent to Hillcrest for £21 million (Rs 270 crore). Their ambitious renovation plans, which include completely gutting the interior while saving the four outer walls, digging out a basement swimming pool, and installing an underground basketball court, were finally approved by the local council earlier this month. The Daily Mail reported that neighbors were already exhausted by the looming construction when the couple’s company suddenly bought up the adjoining Hillcrest flats.
Tensions quickly escalated from noise complaints to allegations of intimidation. Residents of the 23-flat Hillcrest building claim they are afraid to speak out against the wealthy family. According to a local investigation first published by London Centric detailing Shahi Exports’ involvement, locals felt pressured during community meetings. One resident specifically alleged they were warned that if objections to the couple’s creeping developments continued, the newly acquired flats could be converted into “social housing” as a retaliatory move. The couple’s voting shares in the building also give them significant influence over its future management.
Representatives for the family pushed back against the neighborhood panic. An official statement clarified that Sonam Kapoor has no direct involvement in the holding company that purchased the Hillcrest units. They maintained that the flats were acquired purely as a financial investment, categorically denying any plans to house the £21 million mansion’s domestic staff in the 1960s building. With £4.7 million already spent on the initial renovation phase, the estate’s complete overhaul is moving forward regardless of the local outrage.