Zerodha's Nikhil Kamath’s Home Purchase Sparks Controversy As Rented Apartment Photos Resurface

The controversy ignited when Rahul Gonsalves, head of design at PhonePe, shared photos of Kamath's former residence, mistakenly labelling it as his newly acquired property

Nikhil Kamath, the co-founder of Zerodha, has sparked widespread criticism after announcing the purchase of his first apartment, a move that starkly contrasts with his long-held stance favouring renting over buying property. The attention surrounding Kamath's new acquisition has intensified, particularly as images of his previous rental—a sprawling 7,000-square-foot apartment in Bengaluru with maximalist decor—have resurfaced, attracting significant backlash.

The controversy ignited when Rahul Gonsalves, head of design at PhonePe, shared photos of Kamath's former residence, mistakenly labelling it as his newly acquired property. The post quickly gained traction, leading many users on X (formerly Twitter) to voice their opinions about the apartment's design. Numerous comments described it as "tacky" and unappealing.

“In all of this Nikhil Kamath house debate, what is being lost sight of is the absolute travesty that are its interiors. Seriously, you can afford far better interior designers/architects,” Gonsalves wrote in the caption of his post.

The images displayed an opulent aesthetic, prompting a wave of reactions from some social media users. One comment reads, “A lot of it is pretty lame. It’s not necessary to be rich and to have a refined taste. That said- it could also be that he’s repurposing furniture that he had in his rented houses over the years,” wrote one of the internet users.

“From the 3rd pic, the green wall is what keeps appearing in the background of his podcast. That's the dining table where he & his guests sit down. Which means he probably bought this property much before it became news!” wrote another internet user.

A third user wrote, “May be it's not always about affordability, it can be about ones taste, understanding n perception of design n that too home interiors. You don't revamp home design as fast as you do app design. It stays for a long, it needs extra care. I don't see any harmony in above designs.”