7th July 2021: Sameer, son of renowned Bollywood lyricist Anjaan, has given great hits as a lyricist just like his father. He leads a simple life in reality. He says, “This is how I was brought up by my family.” His duplex home in Lokhandwala area, Andheri West, Mumbai is simple to the core. A sign of his humbleness and greatness.
Johnny D interviews Bollywood’s renowned lyricist by exploring his simple, sweet and beautiful home.
The main door opens to the drawing-dining cum lounge area. One will marvel at the number of awards that brings the memory of hit songs from box-office hit films like Aashiqui, Deewana, Hum Hain Rahi Pyaar Ke, Beta, Saajan, Raja Babu, Coolie No. 1, Raja Hindustani, Anjaam, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Fiza, Dhadkan, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Devdas, Raaz, Tere Naam, No Entry, Dhoom 2, Saawariya and many others, placed in the wall cabinet. He smiles to reveal, “It is so difficult to maintain the awards (father’s and mine). I have run out of place to keep them.”
The simple functional interiors reflect the simplicity of home sweet home. The huge wall unit is dedicated to awards, a TV and the music system completes the picture of this area. A low-height seating lounge to cosy up is one of the favourite places of the family. Colorful cushions add a dash of colour to the setting.
The two pillars that divide the lounge area from the drawing are clad with sleeper wood to give a natural effect. There are two single sofas placed along the pillars. The drawing area is decorated with some more awards placed on the wall-to-wall unit behind the L-shaped sofa. The bare minimum furniture and interiors elements are one of the highlights of Sameer’s residence.
The wooden flooring adds warmth to the whole house. Tucked in, just by the side of the drawing area, is the dining area with a seating for six. The greenery around the French windows gives a beautiful view when the curtains are pulled aside. A door on the right side of the drawing area leads to a small Puja room and a sitting area for the lyricist. Idols of Ganesha, Saraswati and Tirupati are placed in the room for the wordsmith to concentrate on his writing.
The fifth floor residence houses a guest bedroom, a functional kitchen and bath, while the upper floor has the bedrooms of the family, along with the drawing-dining cum lounge area. A lovely wooden staircase leads to the upper floor of the duplex to the bedrooms. The staircase takes one down the memory lane, with lovely neatly framed black & white photographs of the lyricist and his father with renowned personalities from the industry, all along the walls.
The staircase leads to the children’s bedroom… Sameer’s younger daughter Suchita’s bedroom has the touch of the teenager’s colourful world. A huge mirror right in front of the bed adds a dimension to the simple interiors. Unlike many star homes, where every star prefers to display their awards, Sameer’s master bedroom is sans any awards.
He reveals, “This is one place that is our place as individuals where we prefer to stay as two simple individuals. The simplicity has an emotional quotient attached to this particular home when we moved in 1983. The home brought us all the luck and success!”
Who says celebrities do not live a simple life in reality? Sameer’s home is one of the finest examples of a renowned celebrity, who has not let his simple way of living change with all the success in the world.
Simplicity, they say, is a virtue worth living!
Photographs: Akshay Kulkarni