John Abraham on why buying property in Dubai beats spending on experiences: ‘You need that security, Gen Z’

Dubai: “I wish Gen Zs all the very best in their experiences. But I’ll buy property,” says Bollywood actor John Abraham with an open laugh during a sit-down interview in Dubai with Gulf News. Hear him out, he adds.

“You need a roof on your head. You need that security. And I encourage everybody, including my Gen Z population and Gen Alpha, to buy at least one home.”

Yet many in Gen Z and Gen Alpha aren’t as keen on owning property. A study by Northwestern University and the University of Chicago finds that rising costs and financial pressures have left younger generations disengaged from the idea of homeownership.

But for an actor, producer and entrepreneur like John, a home isn’t just an investment, it’s about family, community, and elder care.

“I think it’s connectivity and a sense of family, because I care a lot. I care a lot about the elderly. So elder care is very, very important to me. Moving to a place where my parents, for example, could be looked after, where they feel connected in a community, that’s far more important than having probably the fanciest house on the side of town.”

And that's where Treppan Living from Fakhruddin Properties comes in. He was in Dubai to launch the property that's all about bolstering wellness and clean living.

"We’re not selling a property, we’re selling a lifestyle,” Abraham explains. “I’m just very happy doing what I do best: something that I’ve been professing over so many years: holistic living, a 360-degree lifestyle. And that’s exactly what Yousef Fakhruddin is doing through Treppan Living.”

Apparently, they met by sheer 'accident through friends and family'. Abraham says he was drawn to them because they didn't speak of opulence or fancy furniture, but of lifestyle.

“Anybody, any other developer would have spoken about the architecture, the furniture. He spoke about lifestyle. And I said, listen, this sounds interesting.”

For Abraham, the partnership was also personal.

“It’s not as much about the actor. It’s about a guy who leads a healthy lifestyle, but has also got the backdrop of his father, his brother, his cousin, sister, everybody in the family. I come from a family of architects. So I said, great, that’s a great marriage.”

John is one of Bollywood’s most bankable actors, known for his action-packed roles in films like Dhoom and Force, as well as his work in socially relevant cinema such as Vicky Donor.

Beyond the screen, he is a successful producer, entrepreneur, and fitness icon. With a sharp eye for investments, Abraham has also made a name for himself in real estate.

Luxury, he believes, should never come at the expense of wellness.

“I would want lifestyle to be non-negotiable! A clean lifestyle is a luxury in today's world”

Treppan Living, he explains, isn’t about marble floors or designer kitchens. “You can sell the most opulent properties… but who’s selling a lifestyle that’s true?”

He’s also thinking globally: “I’m really selfish in this process, because I want to extrapolate what they are doing here in Dubai to India… pollution is a reality in Mumbai. How do you get the Treppan Living philosophy across the world?”

Dubai’s compact, well-planned ecosystem makes it the perfect testing ground.

“Wellness should have been a way of life in the past 30 years, but people are getting more and more aware now."

Discipline, Abraham says, is another non-negotiable in life.

“I’ve thrown a tendon in my knee right now, but I train the upper body. There’s no break day for me. Discipline is a way of life.”

Abraham’s vision, both cinematic and architectural, is rooted in credibility and integrity.

“I just want to be far more credible, far more cleaner, make probably the best cinema that I could possibly make and choose right in terms of my associations.”

For him, the takeaway is clear: a home isn’t just a property; it’s a statement about lifestyle, wellness, and the kind of life you want to build.