How are celebs securing their future?
Driving in multiple lanes is becoming a new fascination with desi celebs. As Shilpa Shetty launched her medispa in Mumbai last week, there's strong buzz that she'll soon be venturing into hospitality. The actress doesn't confirm or deny this, but promises to make announcements by August 10 about her plans. However, Shetty is not the only one from the film frat who is making 'food' their business. Come August, Arjun Rampal's lounge bar, Lap, in Samrat Hotel will throw its doors open to the Capital. Rampal chose Delhi over Mumbai for his hospitality debut because being from Delhi, he says, "Delhi will always be close to my heart." Director Satish Kaushik's four-year-old eatery Khana Unlimited in Connaught Place is for the common man wanting to eat to his heart's content for a measly Rs 99. Suniel Shetty owns several bars and a chain of restaurants in Mumbai called Mischief. Mithun Chakraborty's Monarch Hotel in Ooty is a well-known inn. The Deols aren't far behind. Father Dharmendra and Bobby Deol partnered with friends to start Some Place Else and Zion in Mumbai. More on the eat-beat
Dino Morea, who runs Crepe Station, plans to open 100-150 outlets over the next four years, including resto bars and expresso joints. One of these is in collaboration with Chunkey Pandey who says that he "always wanted to own a restobar to drink in peace without worrying about the bills." Buzz is that glamdoll Katrina Kaif might also set up a restaurant soon.
The restaurant business has takers from other frats too. Mumbai saw Sachin Tendulkar open Tendulkar's a few years back in collaboration with Mars Hospitality. The restaurant is currently preparing for a re-launch. Kapil Dev debuted with Kaptain's Retreat Hotel in Chandigarh in 1983 and followed it up with his signature restaurant, Kapil's Eleven, in 2006 and later in Patna. Sourav Ganguly's Sourav's - The Food Pavillion, opened in 2004 on Kolkata's Park Street and offers Kashmiri, Mughlai and continental food.Food business is hot with musicians too. Lata Mangeshkar's brother, Hridayanath, owns Sarjaa in Pune. Asha Bhonsle has her signature restaurant Asha's in Dubai and Kuwait, featuring Bhonsle's family recipes.
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