Farah Khan lauds Diana Penty’s century-old Mumbai residence

Filmmaker and choreographer Farah Khan recently visited actor Diana Penty’s ancestral Mumbai house, a property the family says is over a century old. She expressed clear admiration, noting the residence’s historical character and even drawing a comparison with Shah Rukh Khan’s famous home, Mannat.

The walk-through was recorded for Farah’s personal vlog series, where she often shares visits to celebrity homes. She attended with her cook, Dilip, and was received by Diana and her mother, who escorted the visitors through the property.

Diana explained the family has occupied the house for four generations. Built during her great-grandfather’s era roughly 100 years ago, the home remains a preserved example of colonial-era architecture, with high ceilings, wide arches, sizeable wooden doors and period furniture.

On entering, Farah asked for a tour and remarked that the house felt like a step back to colonial Mumbai. When she inquired about the age of a carved wooden table and mirror, Diana’s mother confirmed they were more than 100 years old. Farah quipped that the pieces were older than she was and expressed delight at being in such a space.

The tour continued to the kitchen, which Farah described as “amazing.” She asked her cook if he had seen a house like it before; he replied no. Diana mentioned she also owns a farm outside the city, and Farah noted the house did not feel like typical Mumbai housing but rather another, calmer world.

The interiors combine traditional craftsmanship with everyday warmth: colonial-style furnishings, large windows admitting abundant light, a leafy verandah and patterned floors. Family heirlooms and collected artifacts appear throughout, including a notable wooden carousel-like piece reportedly gifted to Diana’s grandfather after World War II.

A striking moment in the visit came when Farah compared the scale of Diana’s living room to that of Shah Rukh Khan’s Mannat, saying it rivalled the size of notable celebrity living spaces and even some dance studios in Lokhandwala.

Diana responded modestly, calling her home more modest, while Farah framed the remark as praise and joked about inviting Shah Rukh. The exchange highlighted the easy rapport between the two guests.

In a city where many older buildings are replaced by modern towers, Diana’s house serves as a reminder of Mumbai’s colonial architectural legacy and the value of preserving such homes—an increasingly uncommon trait among celebrity residences.

Details such as the verandah with potted plants, softly faded pastels on the walls and classic wooden frames contribute to the house’s tranquil atmosphere, demonstrating the family’s care in maintaining its historic character.

For viewers of Farah’s vlog, the episode presented a nostalgic glimpse of a preserved Mumbai home, standing apart from the contemporary, high-design houses that often dominate social media.

Outside her home’s history, Diana Penty has an established film career. She debuted in Cocktail alongside Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone and has since appeared in films including Happy Bhag Jayegi, Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran, Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi and Salute.

More recently, Diana featured in Detective Sherdil with Diljit Dosanjh, Boman Irani, Chunky Panday and Banita Sandhu, and she appeared in the Amazon Prime Video series Do You Wanna Partner released on September 12, alongside Tamannaah Bhatia and Neeraj Kabi.

Farah Khan’s visit to Diana Penty’s century-old Mumbai residence offered a concise look at a family property preserved across generations, underlining both its architectural value and the sentimental ties that keep such heritage homes intact.