By Lauren Codling
AN IMMERSIVE theatre production will be held at a new London restaurant to celebrate the opening of its sixth eatery.
Inspired by the art deco world in 1940s Bombay, Night at the Bombay Roxy will be performed at Dishoom Kensington to mark the restaurant’s launch.
The show centres around the Bombay Roxy, a café and jazz club housed within a former 1940s Bombay cinema.
Audiences will be treated to performances by a live five-piece jazz band, as well as enjoy an array of Indian dishes, including spicy lamb chops, masala prawns and the Dishoom calamari.
Shamil Thakrar, co-owner of Dishoom and creative producer of the show, said the story initially came to him after reading Taj Mahal Foxtrot by Indian journalist Naresh Fernandes.
The book tells the story of Bombay’s jazz age. “I fell in love with this book,” Thakrar said, as he showed Eastern Eye his wellthumbed copy, adorned with post-it notes and highlights.
“We decided this should basically be the restaurant of this book.” The concept came to the businessman when he imagined how fun it would be if restaurant goers “literally walked into the story”.
That was when he approached the show’s director Eduard Lewis who introduced him to Swamp Studios, a theatre group based in London.
“We asked, ‘why don’t you come to the opening night of the show, but why don’t you come to the opening night of [the main character] Cyrus’s club in 1949’ and that is what will happen,” Thakrar explained. “It will be a really fun way to tell our story but to also feed people beautiful food and have this fantastic environment.”
Swamp Studios co-founder Ollie Jones, 29, confessed to Eastern Eye that one challenge of creating the show was making sure it complemented the food, rather than “getting in the way”.
“We’ve had a lot of conversations [about making sure] the meals are not interrupted,” he said. “We didn’t want people trying to enjoy food and talk to friends but constantly have actors looming over the table saying, ‘welcome to Bombay’. So trying to work around that and avoid that was important.”
Thakrar, who confessed to having a passion for jazz, said that although the combination of theatre and music is part of British heritage, he believes that experiential entertainment is the latest trend for millennials.
“Experiences make you happy, stuff doesn’t, and millennials know that,” Thakrar said. “They travel and do these cool things and buy less stuff and that is manifesting in the entertainment industry.”
Jones shared the same view, saying millennials are the “experience generation”.
“It’s true, we have seen a spike in [this kind of thing],” he said. “There is a lot of immersive, experiential stuff going on all the time. People love it and they get such a kick out of it.”
The Dishoom brand has a strong focus on a narrative for each space. Thakrar said that with each restaurant comes a new story and this is one is no different.
When discussing Swamp Studios’ collaboration with the eatery, Jones said he wanted to make sure the show did not dominate the restaurant.
He said: “I don’t think our contribution should go much beyond giving people a good time [and] enhancing their evening. It isn’t about us giving Dishoom anything – it is more us and Dishoom giving the customer something.”
Thakrar agreed, saying although the move could be “highly risky”, he was confident the concept was going to be “cool”.
“You are literally walking into a story,” he said, smiling. “We want to welcome you into our story and make sure you have a fantastic time.
“If you leave saying ‘my God, I’ve never had that kind of experience,” that will be amazing for us.”
Night at the Bombay Roxy will be playing at Dishoom Kensington from next Monday (27) until December 14.
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire
Rahul Bhatt sparks controversy over 'insensitive' remarks about sisters Alia and Pooja Bhatt
Rahul Bhatt, fitness trainer and son of veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, has found himself at the centre of a social media storm following controversial remarks about his half-sister, Alia Bhatt. In a recent interview, Rahul drew comparisons between Alia and their older sister Pooja Bhatt, calling the latter more talented, attractive, and principled.
The comments, which many have labelled inappropriate and insensitive, have sparked widespread criticism online. During the interview, Rahul stated, “In my opinion, she (Alia) is not even half of what my real sister Pooja is. Not in talent, not in looks, not in terms of being sexy. In front of my sister, she is ‘paani kam chai’ (watery tea). Amongst the siblings, the most talented and the most moralistic is Pooja.”
Social media users reacted strongly, questioning why Rahul would compare his sisters in such personal terms. Several users were particularly disturbed by his reference to their appearance and sex appeal, pointing out that such comparisons within a family cross boundaries of propriety. One comment read, “This is disturbing. Why talk about your sisters like that? It’s not just weird, it’s wrong.” Another post said, “There’s nothing respectful about comparing your siblings’ attractiveness in public.”
The backlash also reignited conversation around a decades-old controversy involving Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt. Rahul was asked about the infamous 1990s magazine cover where the father-daughter duo shared a kiss, which had stirred public outrage at the time. Dismissing the criticism, Rahul said, “It doesn’t make any difference. It’s like water off a duck’s back. We know the truth, and we’ve seen everything since childhood.”
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire, with critics saying it reflects a broader issue of the Bhatt family being insensitive to public perception and boundaries. Many users questioned the need for bringing up old incidents in a bid to defend new and equally questionable statements.
As of now, neither Alia Bhatt nor Pooja Bhatt has issued any public response to Rahul’s remarks. Both actors, known for their significant contributions to Indian cinema, have typically kept family matters private despite living in the public eye.
This episode has also sparked debate over the role of public figures in maintaining respect when discussing family matters in the media. Observers say such comments, especially when involving women’s appearance and personal qualities, reinforce problematic attitudes and fuel unnecessary controversies.
While Rahul Bhatt is not as prominent in the entertainment industry as his father or sisters, his comments have made headlines and placed the Bhatt family in the spotlight for reasons beyond their creative work. For many, this serves as a reminder that public platforms come with responsibility, and that family ties should not be trivialised or dissected for attention or comparison.
The backlash is unlikely to subside soon, especially as fans and followers of Alia and Pooja continue to express disappointment over the way the situation has unfolded. Whether or not Rahul chooses to clarify or apologise remains to be seen.