In 1543, the Portuguese took possession of the islands of Bombay (there were 7) by force. The Portuguese gave the Jesuit priests the sole ownership of Bandra, Parel, Wadala and Sion. In 1570 the Jesuits built a college and a church in Bandra which was called St Anne's College, or 'Santa Anna' Church. In the mid-18th century, the traveller John Fryer records that the Jesuit church, which stood near the sea shore, was still in use. The Portuguese built several churches in Bandra, including the famous St. Andrew's Church, which has the distinctive Portuguese-style fa�ade. Bandra has the unique distinction of having the most Roman Catholic churches anywhere in the world: six churches with their own separate parishes(all within a four sq. km area), and also the world famous Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount, affiliated to the parish of St. Andrew's, Bandra. The Churches are: Mount Mary's Basilica, Mount Carmel, St. Peter's Church, St. Andrew's Church, St. Theresa's Church, St. Anne's and St. Aloysius

In 1733 when the Kunbi farmers migrated to this island from Colaba, because the fish manure they used was banned, they founded St. Andrew's church (which is still standing and in regular use), St. Stanislaus's Orphanage (now St. Stanislaus High School, among the best boy's school in Bombay) and a monastery of St. Anne. St. Anne's was blown up on the orders of the English to prevent it falling into Maratha hands in the year 1737, and regained in the same year when the Portuguese troops were aided by the English, a slaughterhouse was built on the same spot, and assigned to the Dakhni Muslims for operating it.

There was a section of Kokani/Konkani (Konkani Muslims) in the present eastern part of Bandra (currently across the station / railway lines), called Navpada/Naupada previously known as Naopara. These Kokani Sunni Musalman or Konkani Muslims, all Hanafi, had migrated from inner parts of Thane district like Vasai, Nalasopara, Bhiwandi, Rabodi. Nine prominent Kokni Muslim families inhabitated here, so it was named as "Nav" (meaning nine, in Marathi) and Pada (meaning "Village"). They built the Kokani Masjid (Konkani Mosque), and a cemetery and lakes, which can be traced back more than 300 years. The inhabitants of this area were mainly running cotton hand looms and by the introduction of power looms in Bombay city, this industry died and they started the milk business and (as per Gazetteer of Bombay Presidency, Thane: The village of Naupada behind the railway station, whose people were all Sunni Musalmans, was formerly very prosperous working as many: as 150 hand looms). The area was then divided as Navpada East and Navpada West, by the introduction of the Bombay Baroda Central Indian Railway (BBCIR). A major part of lands of this area was acquired by the Railways, where Bandra Station, Bandra Terminus (Earlier Bandra marshalling yard) and Railway lines exists. The present lake called "Bandra Talao" or "Lotus Tank" formerly known as "Motha Reservoir" was one of the properties of these Kokani Muslims, which was later acquired by the Municipal Corporation for maintenance. (Gazetteer of Bombay Presidency, Thane:Between the village and the railway station is a large reservoir, which was built by a rich Musalman of Naupada. Its water is fit only for watering cattle and for washing clothes.), this lake is now declared the status of Heritage II.

The chapel of Mount Mary, was built around 1640. Local tradition has it that this was destroyed in 1738 during a Maratha raid. The statue of the virgin was recovered from the sea by fishermen and temporarily installed in St. Andrews, before being shifted to the rebuilt Mount Mary in 1761. To this day the statue is venerated and many miracles, minor and major, are attributed to the deity by all communities. In her honour, a fair is held for the duration of eight days, (starting on the Sunday following September 8) during which pilgrims come from as far North as Vasai, Virar and as far East as Thane, to venerate at the Basilica of Mount Mary.

Bandra remained a village with plantations of rice and vegetables in the low-lying areas of the island until getting connected to Mahim by a causeway in 1845. Although many bungalows were built in the boom years of the 1860s and 70s, the fashionable Pali Hill area, now inhabited by members of the film community, saw the first constructions only in the 1880s.

R D National College was originally set up in 1922 in Hyderabad, Pakistan under the guidance of Annie Besant. After the partition of India, it was set up again, in 1949, in Bandra.

The west-side, called "Bandra (West)", had evolved into one of the more fashionable suburbs by the middle of the 20th century. However, the East soon followed its more popular sibling, and in the mid-to-late 90s emerged as a predominantly commercial zone, consisting of the Bandra-Kurla Commercial Complex. Bandra West is also famous for Pali Hill and Carter Road areas which are home to many movie stars such as Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Rekha, Dilip Kumar, Sanjay Dutt and many more. It also has the city's best restaurants, bars, shopping and hang out places.

Bandra (East) is the capital of the Bombay suburban district. However, it is completely overshadowed by its neighbouring city district with regards to government departments. The most prominent office is the suburban collector's office. Bandra (East) also has State Government Quarters.