Latest news with #Dhamaka
India Today
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Chiranjeevi and Telugu directors mourn Ravi Teja's father Rajagopal Raju's death
Telugu actor Ravi Teja's father, Bhupathiraju Rajagopal Raju, died on Tuesday (July 15) night at the age of 90. According to publicists, Rajagopal died at the actor's residence in Hyderabad. As Ravi Teja mourns the loss of his father, several prominent figures from the Telugu film industry have offered their condolences to the 'Dhamaka' superstar Chiranjeevi shared a picture of himself with Rajagopal Raju on X and wrote in Telugu, 'I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of brother Ravi Teja's father. I met him for the last time on the sets of 'Waltair Veerayya'. He was always cheerful and spoke with great enthusiasm. My heartfelt condolences to his family during this difficult time. I pray for his soul to rest in peace.' Chiranjeevi's X post advertisement'Dookudu' director Sreenu Vaitla also expressed his condolences on X. He wrote, 'Deepest condolences to Ravi Teja. I was fortunate to share a long-standing bond with Rajagopal Uncle, who always showered me with warmth and positivity. May his soul rest in peace. Prayers and strength to the family (sic).' Srinu Vaitla's X post 'Daaku Maharaj' director Bobby Kolli wrote on X, 'Heartfelt condolences to Ravi Teja garu on the demise of his beloved father Rajagopal Raju Garu. May his soul rest in peace. Stay strong,' as he paid his respects. Bobby Kolli's X post Sreenivasa Kumar, producer of Vijay Deverakonda's 'Taxiwala', wrote on X, 'Om shanthi. Rajagopal Raju (90) garu. He was a very big movie buff. Even though his son is a big star, he used to attend other star hero film functions as an audience—that shows his love towards films. Knew him personally. Miss you, sir. My deepest condolences to Ravi Teja sir and their family,' and shared a picture of Ravi Teja with his Raju was a pharmacist and maintained a low-profile life in Hyderabad, despite son Ravi Teja's stardom. He and his wife hardly made any public appearances. Ravi Teja and his family members are yet to release a statement about Rajagopal's death or other related details. - Ends
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Ravi Teja Father Death: Bhupathiraju Rajagopal Raju passes away at 90 in Hyderabad
Telugu Actor Ravi Teja Father Death : Ravi Teja's father, Bhupathiraju Rajagopal Raju , passed away late on Monday night, July 15, at the family's residence in Hyderabad. He was 90 years old. As per India Today, Raju had been in poor health for a while. Though Ravi Teja hasn't issued an official statement, sources confirm that the actor has stepped away from work to be with his family and manage the funeral arrangements. A quiet life of principles Rajagopal Raju maintained a low profile despite being the father of one of Telugu cinema's biggest stars. A retired government pharmacist, he led a simple and peaceful life in Hyderabad with his wife, Rajya Lakshmi. The couple largely stayed away from the public eye, quietly supporting their children from the background. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Join new Free to Play WWII MMO War Thunder War Thunder Play Now Undo A grief that echoes past loss The family's current sorrow is compounded by memories of a previous loss—Ravi Teja's younger brother, Bharath Raju, who died in a car accident a few years ago. With the passing of their father, the family is once again navigating a painful chapter. Work halted on 'Mass Jathara' Live Events 'Ravi Teja, who had been busy shooting for his upcoming film 'Mass Jathara', has reportedly paused all professional commitments in light of the family tragedy. The film, directed by Bhanu Bhopavarapu, is set to be a high-octane action entertainer, with a screenplay co-written by the director and Nandu Savirigana. Ravi Teja reunites with Sreeleela, his co-star from Dhamaka, for this much-anticipated project. [With TOI inputs]
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Telugu actor Ravi Teja's father dies. Who was Bhupathiraju Rajagopal Raju?
Ravi Teja, the Mass Maharaja of Telugu cinema , is currently living through a deeply personal tragedy. His father, Bhupathiraju Rajagopal Raju , passed away late on Monday night (July 15) at the age of 90, leaving the industry in shock. Ravi Teja 's father's death comes after the recent passing away of veteran actor and former MLA Kota Srinivasa Rao on July 13. Who was Ravi Teja's father? Rajagopal Raju was not a public figure. A retired government pharmacist, he lived away from the arc lights and never sought attention, despite being the father of one of Telugu cinema's most electrifying performers. Residing peacefully with his wife, Rajya Lakshmi, at their family home in Hyderabad, Raju's life was marked by humility, discipline, and a quiet pride in his children's achievements. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo According to a report by India Today, Bhupathiraju Rajagopal Raju had been unwell for some time before he died on Monday night. While Ravi Teja has yet to issue a formal statement, close sources say the actor has cancelled all professional commitments and is staying with his family to oversee the final rites and spend time in mourning. Ravi Teja had earlier lost his younger brother, Bharath Raju, in a tragic car accident a few years ago—a moment that deeply shook the actor. At the time of his father's passing, Ravi Teja was immersed in the shoot for his upcoming action entertainer Mass Jathara . Directed by Bhanu Bhopavarapu, with a script co-written by Nandu Savirigana, the film is generating considerable buzz, especially with the actor reuniting with his Dhamaka co-star Sreeleela. But the actor has temporarily stepped away from the project, choosing to prioritize his family and healing during this difficult time. Details regarding the funeral and cremation have not been officially released. However, the Telugu film fraternity and fans across the globe have begun expressing their condolences.
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Cooking Up a Storm: Desi Chefs Spice up the Big Apple
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads At 7:30 on a sweltering summer evening in New York City, the Garment District is winding down. The frantic activity of the Big Apple 's fashion hub gives way to a quieter time of day. But the air still hums with the excitement of secrets to be revealed. Times Square is to the north with its bright lights and heaving crowds, while the Empire State Building is unmissable, awash with colour from the lights. The mannequins in the shop windows, draped in sequined fabric, seem glimmeringly sentient. Tucked away on West 37th Street, a storefront announces Chatti in a flamboyant italic script and, in smaller but no less confident font, By Regi is the celebrated Indian chef's toddy shop-inspired, Kerala-style kitchen. And it's part of a wave. New York is in the throes of a spice-sprinkled gourmet glasnost that is unapologetically city's Indian food scene used to be split, only half-jokingly, into butter chicken for the masses, molecular gastronomy for the those extremes lay an arid vacuum. The ground has shifted with a bunch of intrepid, creative chefs serving Indian food that's uncompromisingly hyperlocal and high concept to NYC. Diners can't get enough of it. And the food critics, powerful enough to make or break restaurants in this part of the world, are the first time in its nearly century long history, the New York Times anointed an Indian restaurant—Semma—as No. 1 in its Top 100 Restaurants in NYC South Indian fine-dining destination, helmed by chef Vijay Kumar (formerly of California's Michelin-starred Rasa) and backed by restaurateurs Roni Mazumdar and Chintan Pandya of Unapologetic Foods, has emerged as an unmistakable disruptor in fine dining. Alongside Semma, several other Indian restaurants made it to the Times' Top 100, including Dhamaka, known for its fiery, rustic menu from the Indian hinterlands; Masalawala undefined Bungalow , a newer entrant from celebrity chef Vikas Khanna blending artful plating with deep-rooted Punjabi flavours; and Dera, a Jackson Heights staple offering a rich blend of Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi Foods is at the heart of this spice-splashed revolution. Pandya has also won the much sought-after James Beard prize for chefs. Most importantly, their growing empire—Semma, Dhamaka, Adda, Masalawala & Sons and Rowdy Rooster—doesn't pander to Western palates. Dhamaka and Semma are booked months in advance. Diners are lucky if they can snag a reservation on Resy.'The Indian food scene right now is as exciting as it's ever been in New York City,' says veteran food writer Andrea Strong. 'And that's in large part because of Chintan and Roni and Vijay.'Bungalow is Vikas Khanna's most personal offering to date.'This is my last restaurant,' he says, a culinary venture that caps off a 41-year career. 'New York is not an easy restaurant space, of course; it's the greatest, and it's also the toughest.'With Bungalow, he's reclaiming memory, an ode to what his late sister told him after admonishing him for 'chasing lists.''I have so many failed businesses where I could not break the code,' he says, but Bungalow is his York has had great South Asian food for quite some time, says Ryan Sutton, a food critic who has spent over two decades writing about food for Eater and now publishes The Lo Times. 'I remember going to a wedding at the original Junoon about a decade ago—probably the best wedding food I've ever had.'There was also Hemant Mathur's now-closed Tulsi, which had a Michelin star, like Junoon. 'And of course Indian Accent rolled into town a while back, and that venue (like the late Floyd Cardoz's shuttered Tabla) proved that New Yorkers were willing to pay a serious premium for really good South Asian fare,' remembers Sutton. But admittedly, what's going on is more exciting than just trendy amuse Chatti, the room is filling up fast. Within the hour, it's packed—tables claimed, voices rising in a familiar rhythm. For a moment, it doesn't feel like New York anymore.'For so long, people only knew one kind of Indian food,' says Mathew. 'People become like a community… good food in smaller portions. Now, they're discovering the flavours of Kerala. They're discovering our stories.'Stories that—until a few years back—weren't an option in the fine dining circuit of New York's food scene. These ideas were mostly pushed to the confines of the immigrant-reliant borough of Queens.'What's happening is not a trend,' says Pandya, who fired up the kitchen at Dhamaka, listed as a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant. 'I think it took a lot of crazy steps, almost, that didn't make logical or business sense for us to arrive at this point, and those were the breakthroughs that we needed.'What is happening differently with Indian food, and specifically in their restaurants, is that they are serving the real thing. 'Food we've been cooking for a long time—at our households, at our events—but it was never represented,' says March 2017, common friends had introduced Mazumdar and Pandya to each other. Pandya says Mazumdar was 'a crazy entrepreneur' who wanted someone to partner with.'We knew one thing—our cuisine needed a radical shift,' Mazumdar says. 'Chintan had spent his whole career in fine dining. I came in with a disruptive mindset. That's where we connected. We didn't have a white paper or a protocol.'It was uncharted territory. Indian food had never really worked in this city. 'So we asked, what do we do about it?'Whether that meant serving gurda kapoora (goat kidney and testicles) or refusing to do takeout at the pandemic-born Dhamaka.'The very first time when you open the lid of a freshly cooked dish and that steam comes out—that's a dhamaka,' Pandya says. 'I cannot recreate that in a plastic container.'Currently, Semma is what every Indian wants to talk about. Kumar has taken the city by storm, given that it's unprecedented for a Tamil food-centric restaurant to get a Michelin Kumar wasn't hired to build Semma. He had written to Mazumdar when Rahi launched, saying he would love to join them he finally joined the kitchen at Rahi, his dishes stood out. At that point, Mazumdar said if they end up serving this, they would end up confusing Rahi's core consumers. So Semma was born. Rahi has since closed.'Semma showcases Tamil Nadu. Masalawala brings Kolkata. Dhamaka brought offal. This isn't about fusion or elevation. It's about recognition,' says says: 'The food is spicy, it's loud, it's rowdy, and it's fun. There's an energy to it that's similar to what you'd find in Bombay or Calcutta.'Unapologetic Foods is planning to open an Adda in Philadelphia and a fast-casual Kababwala in NYC by the end of this at Chatti, Mathew is busy attending to guests at every table—explaining toddy shop culture. Khanna says there are nights he sees scores waiting outside. 'They're just coming as a part of a pilgrimage. Agar restaurant ye create kar sakta hai, it means there's so much more.'For the first time, Indian food in New York isn't whispering. It's making noise—and it's not asking for permission. It's unapologetically Indian.
Economic Times
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
Semma to Chatti and Bungalow: Desi restaurants in Big Apple do a Dhamaka
Indian restaurants in New York are going unapologetically hyperlocal New York: At 7:30 on a sweltering summer evening in New York City, the Garment District is winding down. The frantic activity of the Big Apple's fashion hub gives way to a quieter time of day. But the air still hums with the excitement of secrets to be revealed. Times Square is to the north with its bright lights and heaving crowds, while the Empire State Building is unmissable, awash with colour from the lights. The mannequins in the shop windows, draped in sequined fabric, seem glimmeringly sentient. Tucked away on West 37th Street, a storefront announces Chatti in a flamboyant italic script and, in smaller but no less confident font, By Regi is the celebrated Indian chef's toddy shop-inspired, Kerala-style kitchen. And it's part of a wave. New York is in the throes of a spice-sprinkled gourmet glasnost that is unapologetically city's Indian food scene used to be split, only half-jokingly, into butter chicken for the masses, molecular gastronomy for the those extremes lay an arid vacuum. The ground has shifted with a bunch of intrepid, creative chefs serving Indian food that's uncompromisingly hyperlocal and high concept to NYC. Diners can't get enough of it. And the food critics, powerful enough to make or break restaurants in this part of the world, are the first time in its nearly century long history, the New York Times anointed an Indian restaurant—Semma—as No. 1 in its Top 100 Restaurants in NYC list. The South Indian fine-dining destination, helmed by chef Vijay Kumar (formerly of California's Michelin-starred Rasa) and backed by restaurateurs Roni Mazumdar and Chintan Pandya of Unapologetic Foods, has emerged as an unmistakable disruptor in fine dining. Alongside Semma, several other Indian restaurants made it to the Times' Top 100, including Dhamaka, known for its fiery, rustic menu from the Indian hinterlands; Masalawala & Sons, a nostalgic tribute to Bengali home cooking; Bungalow, a newer entrant from celebrity chef Vikas Khanna blending artful plating with deep-rooted Punjabi flavours; and Dera, a Jackson Heights staple offering a rich blend of Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi Foods is at the heart of this spice-splashed revolution. Pandya has also won the much sought-after James Beard prize for chefs. Most importantly, their growing empire—Semma, Dhamaka, Adda, Masalawala & Sons and Rowdy Rooster—doesn't pander to Western palates. Dhamaka and Semma are booked months in advance. Diners are lucky if they can snag a reservation on Resy.'The Indian food scene right now is as exciting as it's ever been in New York City,' says veteran food writer Andrea Strong. 'And that's in large part because of Chintan and Roni and Vijay.'Bungalow is Vikas Khanna's most personal offering to date.'This is my last restaurant,' he says, a culinary venture that caps off a 41-year career. 'New York is not an easy restaurant space, of course; it's the greatest, and it's also the toughest.'With Bungalow, he's reclaiming memory, an ode to what his late sister told him after admonishing him for 'chasing lists.''I have so many failed businesses where I could not break the code,' he says, but Bungalow is his homecoming. New York has had great South Asian food for quite some time, says Ryan Sutton, a food critic who has spent over two decades writing about food for Eater and now publishes The Lo Times. 'I remember going to a wedding at the original Junoon about a decade ago—probably the best wedding food I've ever had.' There was also Hemant Mathur's now-closed Tulsi, which had a Michelin star, like Junoon. 'And of course Indian Accent rolled into town a while back, and that venue (like the late Floyd Cardoz's shuttered Tabla) proved that New Yorkers were willing to pay a serious premium for really good South Asian fare,' remembers Sutton. But admittedly, what's going on is more exciting than just trendy amuse bouche. Inside Chatti, the room is filling up fast. Within the hour, it's packed—tables claimed, voices rising in a familiar rhythm. For a moment, it doesn't feel like New York anymore.'For so long, people only knew one kind of Indian food,' says Mathew. 'People become like a community… good food in smaller portions. Now, they're discovering the flavours of Kerala. They're discovering our stories.'Stories that—until a few years back—weren't an option in the fine dining circuit of New York's food scene. These ideas were mostly pushed to the confines of the immigrant-reliant borough of Queens.'What's happening is not a trend,' says Pandya, who fired up the kitchen at Dhamaka, listed as a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant. 'I think it took a lot of crazy steps, almost, that didn't make logical or business sense for us to arrive at this point, and those were the breakthroughs that we needed.'What is happening differently with Indian food, and specifically in their restaurants, is that they are serving the real thing. 'Food we've been cooking for a long time—at our households, at our events—but it was never represented,' says March 2017, common friends had introduced Mazumdar and Pandya to each other. Pandya says Mazumdar was 'a crazy entrepreneur' who wanted someone to partner with.'We knew one thing—our cuisine needed a radical shift,' Mazumdar says. 'Chintan had spent his whole career in fine dining. I came in with a disruptive mindset. That's where we connected. We didn't have a white paper or a protocol.'It was uncharted territory. Indian food had never really worked in this city. 'So we asked, what do we do about it?'Whether that meant serving gurda kapoora (goat kidney and testicles) or refusing to do takeout at the pandemic-born Dhamaka.'The very first time when you open the lid of a freshly cooked dish and that steam comes out—that's a dhamaka,' Pandya says. 'I cannot recreate that in a plastic container.'Currently, Semma is what every Indian wants to talk about. Kumar has taken the city by storm, given that it's unprecedented for a Tamil food-centric restaurant to get a Michelin Kumar wasn't hired to build Semma. He had written to Mazumdar when Rahi launched, saying he would love to join them he finally joined the kitchen at Rahi, his dishes stood out. At that point, Mazumdar said if they end up serving this, they would end up confusing Rahi's core consumers. So Semma was born. Rahi has since closed.'Semma showcases Tamil Nadu. Masalawala brings Kolkata. Dhamaka brought offal. This isn't about fusion or elevation. It's about recognition,' says says: 'The food is spicy, it's loud, it's rowdy, and it's fun. There's an energy to it that's similar to what you'd find in Bombay or Calcutta.'Unapologetic Foods is planning to open an Adda in Philadelphia and a fast-casual Kababwala in NYC by the end of this at Chatti, Mathew is busy attending to guests at every table—explaining toddy shop culture. Khanna says there are nights he sees scores waiting outside. 'They're just coming as a part of a pilgrimage. Agar restaurant ye create kar sakta hai, it means there's so much more.'For the first time, Indian food in New York isn't whispering. It's making noise—and it's not asking for permission. It's unapologetically Indian.
