For fans who know him as television’s charismatic leading man, actor Gaurav Khanna’s recent YouTube vlog offers something far more intimate than a standard celebrity house tour. Also read | Step inside chef Vikas Khanna's typical Indian childhood home in Amritsar, filled with family memories and nostalgiaBefore walk-in closets were a luxury, Gaurav Khanna’s childhood home had one. And a bathtub. (YouTube/ Gaurav Khanna)Stripping away the glamour of Mumbai, Gaurav took viewers deep into the heart of Kanpur to explore two contrasting worlds in a February 2026 video: the sprawling, multi-story childhood home where he grew up, and a sleek, newly renovated flat for his parents that he designed himself.It is a beautiful study in transitions — blending rich family history with practical modern design. Whether you are looking for a dose of pure nostalgia or some clever home renovation inspiration, Gaurav’s dual-home tour delivers both.The childhood home: a ‘bhul bhulaiya’Gaurav Khanna fondly described his ancestral joint-family home as a ‘bhul bhulaiya (labyrinth)’. With three to four interconnected rooms on each of its four floors, the house was a living museum of his early life, packed with architectural quirks that were well ahead of their time.The ground floor served as the launchpad for Gaurav’s early dreams. The aangan (courtyard), once lush with greenery and climbing vines, was Gaurav’s personal stadium, where he spent countless afternoons playing cricket. The ultimate hub for celebrations, the living room regularly hosted 40 to 50 children for birthday parties, the actor shared. In quieter moments, it doubled as a study space where Gaurav’s mother would read textbook chapters to him at a dedicated table.Gaurav’s childhood bedroom — originally shared with his sister — once housed a massive, old-school computer. As he grew older, he moved into a second room. The walls, which once displayed posters of Salman Khan, now featured Gaurav's own professional modelling and acting portfolios, the actor highlighted during the house tour. Named after the prized VCR kept there in the 90s, the VCR room and home gym doubled as a fitness space. It still housed a large mirror and the workout gear Gaurav used alongside his father.Long before modern luxury apartments popularised the walk-in closet trend, Gaurav's childhood home featured its own unique, Indian-style 'walk-in closet'. Located right inside the home temple, this dedicated space was lined with classic steel almirahs — a nostalgic touch that the actor playfully noted was a walk-in wardrobe way before its time.The upper levels belonged to the wider joint family. The second floor featured a formal drawing room for guests and a dining hall adjacent to the main kitchen. The top floor and terrace, however, were reserved for pure fun. A small kitchen-cum-dining area on the top floor sat next to a room where the neighbourhood kids played 'dark room', Gaurav shared. Up on the roof, the terrace held memories of competitive kite-flying, Diwali fireworks, and cosy winter nights huddled around an angithi (fire pot) roasting potatoes, he added.The new flatIn stark contrast to the sprawling labyrinth of his youth, in the vlog, Gaurav also unveiled a newly renovated flat styled specifically for his parents. Having lived in space-crunch Mumbai apartments, Gaurav channelled his urban design savvy into making this flat incredibly functional yet deeply personal.Gaurav’s top tip? Maximal storage. The new flat featured custom beds with both hydraulic under-bed storage and side drawers, ensuring clutter never takes over. Tailored to his dad's sleek, contemporary taste, his father's suite boasted bold black finishes and matching fans. The master bedroom was a larger, serene space designed around his mother's comfort. Its crowning jewel was a custom-built mandir (temple) that featured an integrated stool, allowing her to sit comfortably during long prayers. The flat came with a state-of-the-art modular kitchen that the family collaboratively selected.Art: the thread that binds the two homesWhat truly transformed both the sprawling ancestral house and the sleek modern flat into deeply personal sanctuaries was the art and history woven into their very walls. Both residences served as galleries for original oil paintings on canvas, hand-painted by Gaurav himself between 1997 and 2013, bridging his artistic past with his successful present. The creative lineage runs deep; the childhood home prominently featured a remarkably detailed portrait of Rabindranath Tagore, painted by Gaurav’s father when he was just 16.