Chiriankandath Joseph Roy, better known as CJ Roy, learned how to deal with real estate from watching his mother when he was young and now runs a real estate business worth about Rs 8,400 crore. The 57-year-old businessman from Kochi is one of Bengaluru’s richest real estate moguls and also makes Malayalam movies, such as Casanova with Mohanlal.
Roy’s rise was driven by good planning, patience, and taking risks on land that others didn’t see. Sarjapur Road in Bengaluru was his first big break, and it was a long time before it became a tech spot.
CJ Roy learned how to be a real estate agent at home
Roy grew up in the middle part of Bengaluru. He saw his mother buy 30 to 40 land plots at a time, build homes on them, and then sell them. He was in charge of the deals’ finances and learned how land deals and cash flows worked.
This gave him a solid base, which helped him make smart choices later. When he thought back on his early years, he said, “I chose to go into business, but I became an entrepreneur by accident.”
CJP Roy bet on the edges of Bengaluru
In 2001, Roy looked to the edges of Bengaluru while most investors were focused on the city’s centre. Back then, Sarjapur Road was a quiet field where acres could be bought for around Rs 6 lakh. Many thought it was too far away. Roy saw something good in it.” I thought Sarjapura could become the hub where the city’s IT workers could meet, with Whitefield growing on one side and Electronic City on the other,” he said.
He invested in 150–200 acres, which family members and company directors opposed. Only his wife helped him. The risk paid off: afterwards, land prices in Sarjapur rose almost tenfold.
Confident Group: No debt and around the world
The Confident Group was started by Roy in 1991. It owns things worth Rs 2,039 crore as of March 31, 2025. The business has completed 159 jobs in India, the UAE, and the USA, and it has no debt.
The group is mostly interested in real estate, schooling, and entertainment. One of its most well-known projects is the Rs. 3,000 crore Zion Hill Golf County project in Bengaluru.
TV shows have helped Roy’s business grow in Kerala, but the move wasn’t easy. Even though he held road shows for his first projects near Kochi, no one bought them. That changed when they met by chance in Mumbai. He gave her a flat as a gift for a reality show and became the show’s brand spokesperson. He became well-known because of it, and flat sales followed.
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The cars that CJ Roy has
Roy got his first car in 1994. It was a Maruti. After a salesman allegedly fired him, the event stuck with him. He later assembled a collection of high-end cars that included 12 Rolls-Royces (one a Phantom VIII), 12 Lamborghinis, and one Bugatti Veyron. He once said he paid Rs. 18 lakh for insurance on each Rolls-Royce, which meant the overall insurance cost was in crores.
He bought his first Maruti car again years later and offered a Rs 10 lakh prize to anyone who could find it.
More than just real estate: Malayalam culture
Roy also entered the Malayalam entertainment industry and produced movies, including Casanova in 2012. Roy’s fame grew further when Confident Group became the title sponsor of shows like Star Singer and Bigg Boss Malayalam.
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CJ Roy had 13 lakh Instagram fans
Roy had 1.3 million Instagram fans, but he didn’t let people leave comments. His last post was a welcome for Republic Day: “A Very Happy Republic Day!” He wore a blue jacket and smiled in the picture. His posts showed expensive cars, planes, family moments, and progress on his projects.
