MUMBAI, Feb 9: A Pakistani who claims to be the cousin of a top Bollywood actress of the 1940s has popped up in Mumbai to stake a claim to her 11-million-dollar property.

Suraiyya, who was single and died last month aged 75, left no will to determine the ownership of her two houses and a bungalow in Mumbai. The Mid Day newspaper said the actress's lawyer claimed one of the houses on Mumbai's posh Marine Drive.

In a new twist, Mehfooz Ahmed, a Pakistani who works in Saudi Arabia, has told local authorities he is Suraiyya's cousin and entitled to the properties worth 500 million rupees.

Suraiyya was born in Lahore. But Ahmed said he had not been in touch with the late actress for 25 years. "Her telephone numbers kept changing and I could not keep in touch with her, but I have more right to her property than her legal advisor as I am a blood relation," Ahmed was quoted saying by Mid Day.

He said he would like to sell the property - but to keep the actor's jewellery. "I would definitely want to take back her jewellery, which I might give my daughter as something to remember her aunt by," he said. -AFP