Amitabh Bachchan’s property sale sparks debate on real estate returns: '3% CAGR in 13 years isn’t investing'

Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan has found himself at the centre of a financial debate after selling two luxury apartments in Mumbai’s Goregaon East for a sizable profit — but one that’s being called underwhelming by finance professionals.

According to property registration data accessed by CRE Matrix from the Maharashtra Department of Registration & Stamps, Bachchan sold the two units, located in the Oberoi Exquisite complex developed by Oberoi Realty, for Rs 6 crore each, earning a total of Rs 12 crore. The actor had purchased both apartments in 2012 for Rs 8.12 crore, including four parking spaces. After 13 years, the deal fetched him a 47% profit, translating to a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of roughly 3%.

While the sale appears profitable on paper, CA Nitin Kaushik, a chartered accountant and financial educator, argued that the returns were modest compared to what equities could have delivered. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Kaushik wrote, “Amitabh Bachchan needs a new financial advisor — and I volunteer. Not to sound dramatic, but Big B just made a move that any average investor could’ve done better at — and I’ll prove it with numbers.”

Breaking down the math, Kaushik explained: “That’s roughly 3% CAGR in one of India’s most expensive real estate markets. That’s not investing. That’s inflation losing its patience.” He added that if Bachchan had instead invested the same ₹8 crore in a balanced equity portfolio — with 50% in large caps, 30% in mid caps, and 20% in small caps — it could have grown to around Rs 27.6 crore over the same period, assuming an 11% CAGR. “That’s a Rs 15 crore opportunity cost,” Kaushik wrote. “Not a loss — just the price of choosing comfort over compounding.”

Amitabh Bachchan’s Real estate vs equity investment

Parameter                                  Real Estate (Mumbai)    Equity Investment (Balanced Portfolio) Year of Purchase / Investment    2012                              2012 Initial Investment                         Rs 8.12 crore                 Rs 8.12 crore Year of Exit / Valuation                2025                               2025 Final Value / Sale Proceeds        Rs 12 crore (Rs 6 cr each for 2 flats)    Rs 27.6 crore (approx.) Total Gain    Rs 3.88 crore                                                 Rs 19.48 crore Holding Period                             13 years    13 years Compounded Annual Growth Rate ~3%                           ~11% Opportunity Cost (Potential Missed Gain)    —                 Rs 15 crore Liquidity                                         Low (illiquid, transaction-heavy)   High (easy to buy/sell) Income Generation    None (no rent mentioned)              Regular compounding, dividends possible Risk Profile    Low to Moderate                                         Moderate (diversified portfolio) Outcome    47% total gain in 13 years                               240%+ potential growth through compounding

Real estate investment

Kaushik’s viral thread also touched on the emotional attachment many Indians have to real estate. “Property feels safe. You can touch it, live in it, and show it off,” he wrote. “But here’s the truth — real estate gives emotional returns, while equities give financial returns.” He added that in cities like Mumbai and Delhi, housing appreciation has flattened since 2015, with average returns barely keeping up with inflation at around 3–5% CAGR, while equity SIPs have often doubled or tripled in the same period.

The accountant concluded his post with a sharp reminder: “You can choose to look rich or actually get rich — the difference is where your money sleeps. And compounding, my friend, never sleeps.”

Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan have built a reputation as active real estate investors, frequently buying and selling high-value properties. In January 2025, Amitabh sold a 5,185 sq. ft. duplex at The Atlantis in Andheri for Rs 83 crore and, just months later, bought his fourth property in Ayodhya for Rs 40 crore. He also invested Rs 10 crore each in a real estate venture owned by producer Anand Pandit.

In 2024, Amitabh and Abhishek jointly acquired 10 apartments in Mulund West for Rs 25 crore. As per Jaya Bachchan’s Rajya Sabha affidavit, the family’s total assets are valued at Rs 1,578 crore.

While Amitabh’s recent sale appears profitable, it has sparked a broader conversation: in a world where financial compounding can build wealth quietly and efficiently, does India’s obsession with property ownership still make sense?