Chef Ranveer Brar has gone wide―exploring the foodscape of countries like Australia and opening restaurants in places like Boston. But he has also gone deep―traversing the interiors of the country through his shows like Station Master’s Tiffin, where he journeyed through India in trains. The intrepid food adventurer has shown that he can tango equally well with the classes and the masses.
And he proves it once again with his latest show, Dum Laga Ke India, a four-episode mini-series on Disney+Hotstar, where he takes us to the culinary strongholds of four cities―Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Bengaluru. He samples the culture and cuisine of each city, both through celebrities from the city as well as locals who represent its quintessence. The common factor? A dish that is probably the country’s greatest cultural superpower: biryani. Every episode finishes with Brar sharing biryani with the celebrity―actor Vaani Kapoor in Mumbai, badminton champion P.V. Sindhu in Hyderabad, singer Armaan Malik in Kolkata and actor Pranita Subhash in Bengaluru.
“I could relate with Vaani’s typical Punjabi household and her food anecdotes. Armaan and I share a love for Kolkata and for music. Pranita is an absolute live-wire and you can see that spark when she talks about her city. Sindhu is the person I could most easily relate with. Her competitiveness is addictive,” says Brar.
Of course, the celebrities are eye candy, and there are certain moments with them that are engaging―most notably when Brar is creamed in a badminton match with the unstoppable Sindhu or when he composes an anthem for all ‘biryanians’ with Malik. But for the most part, the bits with the celebs are predictable. They are wonder-struck by each dish, and ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ over the biryani and the bonsai tree that they are gifted with in the end.
The more striking parts of the show depict Brar’s interaction with the aam aadmi―people like Shashikala and Ramesh Pothis who started the Konkani restaurant, Highway Gomantax, in Mumbai in 1991, or Dilip da who makes the best ‘puchkas’ (“a dish with infinite possibilities”) in Kolkata. They are the ones who give an authentic feel of the city. And as Brar himself says, sometimes their stories are more powerful than the food. Whether it is the owner of Vennu’s in Bengaluru, who says that no one can beat his mutton in the surrounding 5km, or Aslam, who makes Osmania biscuits in Hyderabad’s Nimrah Cafe and is emphatic that his business is “number one”, their enthusiasm for their food is infectious.
Brar tries to bring alive each city and its culinary landscape for his viewers with interesting trivia and anecdotes. He takes us to lesser-known places like the perfume market of Hyderabad or the Bugle Park in Bengaluru, named after a rock several million years old. He gives us interesting historical details, like how an 18th century rani would send ‘kanchagolla’ (balls of raw chenna) to her English counterparts in Britain. Or how the ‘rava idli’ was born at MTR, a restaurant chain that was established in Bengaluru in 1924, due to the shortage of rice during World War II. Points must be given to Brar for effort more than effect.
“As a practice, whether it is for my shows or my personal travel, I read up books and consult local peer groups before heading to a place,” says Brar. “It helps me be mentally prepared for the exploration. It was the same with DLKI. While I was familiar with the cities themselves, I did refresh myself from the biryani point of view, and of course, prepare some talk points [for discussion] with the celeb guests.”
The show is a visual delight, with striking shots of the cities and a peppy background score. It reminds us what a treasure-trove of legacy we have in each of them, and how ancient culinary stories lie dammed up inside. Dum Laga Ke India gives only a brief taste. Something that teases the palate more than satisfies it. If only Brar would take us to the main course, instead of stopping at the starters.