Latest news with #Haryanvi
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
The Taste by Vir Sanghvi: Delhi welcomes new eateries, but dining experience falls short
There is good news and there is bad news. The good news is that many new restaurants have opened in Delhi this year. Once upon a time all the openings were in Gurgaon which was not great for Delhi people who did not want to brave traffic jams of much more than an hour or get stuck in water-logged roads for the three months of the year when Gurgaon becomes some Haryanvi's idea of Atlantis, the undersea kingdom. Delhi sees new restaurant openings but quality remains a concern.(Unsplash (representative image)) The bad news is that most of the newish Delhi restaurants are not much better than those in Gurgaon where the average standard is pretty dismal. The National Capital Region (NCR), which is basically Delhi plus Gurgaon plus Noida (which is the one part of Uttar Pradesh that nobody bothers to travel to for the food), has nothing on Mumbai or Bangalore where great new restaurants keep opening. Oh yes, Delhi is very good at the top of the market (Bukhara, Indian Accent, China Kitchen, Dum Pukht, 360, Shang Palace, etc) and the dhaba food can be wonderful. But at the middle of the market very few outstanding restaurants have opened in the last few years. If you want a reliable place to go to, the 50-year-old favourites (United Coffee House, Kwality etc) are still your best options. I know because even though I keep trying to eat at home when I am in Delhi, on the grounds that I eat out all the time when I am travelling, I have forced myself to explore the restaurant scene over the last two months in the interests of keeping my readers well informed. (Which is not to say that every bad meal I have had to endure is your fault, dear reader, only to inform you of the sacrifices I make for the sake of this column.) There have been some good experiences. Sahil Mehta, who is to the patisserie scene in India what Cedric Grolet is to France, has opened the Paris Coffeehouse in Greater Kailash Two market. Of course it's wonderful because Sahil is incapable of making any patisserie that is less than excellent. But it's a small cafe that depends entirely on Sahil's skills and not a full fledged restaurant. And then there is Mesa in the Lodhi Colony Market (apologies to those who live outside the NCR but all Delhi localities have strange names like these) which is a relaxed oasis of casual dining. (Dos, Tres, and Jamun are popular options.) My wife and I wandered in one day for lunch and were pleasantly surprised. Mesa is run by a young chef called Sandeep Namboodiry, who once worked with the great Manish Mehrotra (after I posted about my meal at Mesa on Instagram, Manish messaged to say how talented Sandeep was), but sticks (mostly) to a modern European menu here. Not everything works brilliantly— he doesn't have the oven required to make the greatest pizzas, though his were not bad, and his Japanese omelette was not much more than acceptable— but there's enough delicious food to make me want to go back. You can see real skill on display here and Sandeep is a chef to watch. This counts for something because I don't think Delhi has as many talented chefs as, say, Mumbai. And unfortunately, even when Delhi chefs have talent, the restaurants are badly run. A few months ago I went to Cala, an unassuming neighbourhood restaurant in Panchsheel Park. The European food was far better than anyone had a right to expect. The pizzas were good, the pasta was authentic and a sophisticated prawn dish stole the show. The chef appeared to serve the dessert (also good) and when I asked about his background, said he had worked at Masque in Mumbai. Encouraged by that experience I booked for lunch last Sunday. When we arrived the solitary server in the dining room asked if I had a reservation. I said I did and gave my name. I don't know why he bothered to ask because he didn't look up any list of reservations but just led us out of the restaurant to an outside area where a low hung shamiana had been erected. I remembered the outside area because we sat there last time. This time, presumably because it was hot, it had been covered with this makeshift shamiana. It was dark (either they had no lights or they had not bothered to put them on) claustrophobic and the tables had not even been set. I asked why this was our only option given that I had booked the day before. The server had no idea. I said we could not possibly eat here and left. He seemed unconcerned. Perhaps the restaurant is closing down and they don't care about guests. Because nobody who wants to stay in the hospitality business can afford this kind of attitude. Stuck for a place to have lunch, I looked up Plats, which many people have praised, on the net , found the number and called. Nobody answered. I then called Indy at Eldeco centre. This is run by the people behind QLA, a restaurant I like. They answered the phone promptly but said they were full. Resisting the urge to take the easy way out and find a hotel restaurant or to return to one of our two go-to places for Sunday lunch (Cafe C at Chanakya and Cha Shi, both of which are excellent) we decided to try our luck at the new bustling Eldeco Centre in Malaviya Nagar, where there are many other restaurants apart from Indy. Nearly every place was full. There were crowds of hungry Bengalis outside 6 Ballygunge Place and the Arts Room was packing them in. But we roamed the corridors till we found a table at a Japanese restaurant called Hikki which I had never heard of. It is a relatively plush place that is well managed and because it is more expensive draws an older average diner than most of the Eldeco restaurants. For all that, there were some basic mistakes. The tables are lit with overhead lamps that come down dangerously low which, I guess, is a stylistic touch favoured by someone with dodgy taste. But, more crucially, all of the lighting has been designed by a person who has never heard of Instagram. The low-hanging lamps throw shadows on the food so that you can't take pictures and they also make the guests look strangely ugly. The food is hit and miss. The prawn tempura was good with high quality frying but this was not true of the chicken karaage. The gyoza had an oily slippery feel to them. And even by the standards of junk sushi, the nigiri was a disgrace, made with rice that was so dry they could well have cooked it a week ago. The meal was redeemed by an interesting noodle dish which was made carbonara style (like the pasta) and powered with the addition of Korean gochujang paste. To the credit of the servers, they quietly took the karaage off the bill when they saw we had wasted it. Clearly, they mean well. And to be fair, by the time we left, the restaurant was full. Perhaps they will get their act together: they need some urgent changes in the kitchen and they need to get someone who understands lighting to redo the lamps in the dining room. So, nothing inspiring to report. But I shall keep looking. At some stage, some thing really good will turn up. Or so I hope!
Business Standard
7 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Saregama strikes a high note with Haryanvi catalogue takeover
Saregama India surged 5.96% to Rs 516.35 after the company struck a major deal to acquire NAV Records' Haryanvi music catalogue. The acquisition includes over 6,500 tracks spanning Haryanvi, Punjabi, Ghazals, Devotional, and Indie Pop, giving Saregama a powerful entry into a regional music segment where it previously lacked dominance. The deal also includes high-traffic YouTube channels like NAV Haryanvi and Nupur Audio, which together command a 24 million subscriber base. These channels host several viral tracks, including Coco Cola with more than 900+ million views, Parvati Boli Shakar Se with 500+ million, and Loot Liya with over 400+ million. As part of the agreement, Saregama and NAV will collaborate on creating fresh Haryanvi and Punjabi content going forward. Saregama India, part of the RPSG Group, is Indias leading entertainment IP company. Its diverse portfolio includes film and non-film music, digital media, television content, artiste and influencer management, and film production. The companys consolidated net profit jumped 11.77% to Rs 60.13 crore on a 8.45% decline in revenue from operations to Rs 240.82 crore in Q4 FY25 over Q4 FY24.
News18
17-07-2025
- Business
- News18
Saregama acquires Haryanvi music co to strengthen regional portfolio
Agency: PTI Kolkata, Jul 17 (PTI) Saregama India Ltd has said it acquired the popular Haryanvi music catalogue of NAV Records to strengthen its regional portfolio. The acquisition for an undisclosed sum comprises over 6,500 tracks across Haryanvi, Punjabi, ghazals, devotional and Indie pop genres. The deal also includes NAV's YouTube channels, including NAV Haryanvi and Nupur Audio, which together have over 24 million subscribers, the company said in a statement. With this acquisition, Saregama India strengthened its digital footprint and cemented the leadership position across Indian languages, including Haryanvi, where it was previously under-represented, the statement said. Saregama India, a part of the Kolkata-based RPSG Group, and NAV will also collaborate on creating fresh Haryanvi and Punjabi content, it said. PTI BSM RBT Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indian Express
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Rahul Fazilpuria shot at in Gurgaon: Man who ‘carried out recce' sent to 5-day police custody
Days after Haryana singer-rapper Rahul Fazilpuria alleged he was shot at in Gurgaon, a city court on Thursday sent the only accused who has been arrested so far to five days of police custody. Identified as Vishal, the 25-year-old Sonipat resident allegedly carried out the recce for the shooting. Around 5.50 pm on Monday, when the 35-year-old singer was leaving the Fazilpur area in his car, men allegedly driving a white Tata Punch – which had initially trailed him – opened fire on him. The bullet had struck a pole, and the perpetrators fled in the same vehicle, according to officers. The Sector 40 Crime Branch on Wednesday arrested Vishal, a resident of Jajal in Sonipat. 'His questioning has revealed that Vishal, along with accomplices, conducted reconnaissance of the victim's routes and locations while staying in various guest houses in Gurgaon. On the day of the incident, he tracked the singer-rapper and shared details with his associates, who then executed the shooting,' a police spokesperson had said. Police added that Vishal was involved in renting the Tata Punch car used in the crime, which has since been recovered. On Wednesday evening, a post surfaced on social media in which a person claimed responsibility for the shooting. The note said the shooting was the fallout of a financial dispute involving Rs 5 crore that the singer allegedly did not return. Earlier on Tuesday, CCTV camera footage had emerged of the Tata Punch car allegedly following the singer. In his complaint to the police, Fazilpuria said that he got into his vehicle and escaped unhurt as the assailants could not chase him due to the traffic. The singer-rapper, who has been promoting Haryanvi folk music, has several hits to his credit. In 2014, he rose to fame with his rap song 'Ladki Kar Gayi Chull', which also featured in the Bollywood movie 'Kapoor and Sons', starring Alia Bhatt, Sidharth Malhotra, and Fawad Khan. He had also unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha election in 2024 from Gurgaon as a Jannayak Janta Party candidate against Congress's Raj Babbar and BJP's Rao Inderjit Singh, who was elected. Last year, he was booked by the Gurgaon Police along with YouTuber Elvish Yadav, for allegedly using rare species of snakes and a .32 bore pistol in a music video. The duo was also questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with allegations linked to money laundering and rave parties.
The Print
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Print
‘Ladki Beautiful' to Lok Sabha polls—Rahul Fazilpuria, Haryana rapper who survived Gurugram gun attack
Sandeep Kumar, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Gurugram Police, confirmed to ThePrint Wednesday that an FIR has been registered at Badshahpur police station in connection with the incident. The 35-year-old artist, celebrated for his chart-topping tracks and a brief foray into politics, emerged unharmed but shaken, as police launched a probe to uncover the motive behind the brazen assault. Gurugram: Haryanvi singer and rapper Rahul Yadav, popularly known as Rahul Fazilpuria, and singer of the popular song 'Ladki beautiful' narrowly escaped a 'life-threatening attack' on Monday night. Unidentified assailants allegedly opened fire on his vehicle on the Southern Peripheral Road (SPR) near Badshahpur in Gurugram's Sector 71. 'We have identified the accused and recovered the car used in the crime, a Tata Punch,' Kumar said. 'The motive of the crime is not known so far, but we are investigating all angles.' CCTV footage from the scene captured the assailants' vehicle trailing Fazilpuria's white Mahindra Thar moments before the alleged attack, which occurred around 7:30 pm. The police have formed two teams, including members of the Crime Branch, to apprehend the suspects. Rahul Fazilpuria did not answer the calls and a message sent by ThePrint to his mobile phone. This report will be updated once he responds. Also read: Ambitious, online, independent—Radhika Yadav killed by father she once danced with after wins A grassroots star from Fazilpur village Born on 10 April 1990, in Fazilpur village near Gurugram, Rahul Yadav adopted the stage name Fazilpuria as a tribute to his roots. From a well-to-do family with a legacy in business, Fazilpuria's journey to stardom was marked by personal and professional challenges. The untimely death of his father during Rahul's youth left the family in disarray. Undeterred, Rahul took on the responsibility of managing the family business while nurturing his passion for music. The loss of his mother in 2016 further tested his resilience, but he continued to pursue his singing career, blending Haryanvi folk with urban rap to create a distinctive sound that resonated with audiences across India. Rise to fame with blockbuster hits Fazilpuria's breakthrough came in 2014 with the infectious rap song 'Ladki Beautiful Kar Gayi Chull', a collaboration with rapper Badshah that became a cultural phenomenon. The track was later featured in the 2016 Bollywood blockbuster 'Kapoor & Sons', starring Alia Bhatt, Sidharth Malhotra, and Fawad Khan, cementing his place in the music industry. The song's catchy beats and Haryanvi flair earned it millions of streams and a lasting legacy in Bollywood. His musical recordings include other hits like 'Pallo Latke' in the film 'Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana', featuring Kriti Kharbanda and Rajkummar Rao, which has garnered over 357 million views on YouTube. Fazilpuria also contributed 'Kharch Karod' to Randeep Hooda's 'Laal Rang', along with tracks like '2 Many Girls', '32 Bore', 'Jimmy Choo', 'Lalla Lohri', and 'Chori Maar Dalegi', which showcased his ability to blend desi and urban elements. His work earned him the Best Rapper Award at the Haryana Entertainment & Music Awards in 2019, solidifying his influence in the Haryanvi and Bollywood music scenes. Political ambitions and electoral setback In 2024, Fazilpuria ventured into politics, contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Gurugram as a candidate for the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), led by former Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala. Running against formidable opponents—BJP's Rao Inderjit Singh and Congress's Raj Babbar—he secured 13,278 votes, finishing third. Not without controversy Fazilpuria's career has not been without controversy. His close association with YouTuber and Bigg Boss OTT 2 winner Elvish Yadav has drawn scrutiny, particularly in 2023, when both were implicated in a case involving the alleged use of snakes of a rare species and a .32 bore pistol in a music video titled '32 Bore'. The complaint, filed by People for Animals (PFA), led to an FIR by the Gurgaon Police. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) subsequently questioned Fazilpuria and Yadav in a money laundering probe linked to snake venom and rave parties, seizing assets worth over Rs 58 lakh, including three acres of land in Bijnor registered in Fazilpuria's name. Earlier, Fazilpuria faced legal issues in 2017 when he was fined and his Mercedes was impounded for drunk driving in Gurgaon. Fazilpuria had then claimed that he was not drunk and the breath analyser had detected the Vodka-flavoured paan he ate a few minutes before the police stopped him. Despite these setbacks, Fazilpuria has maintained his focus on his career and public image. Personal Struggles and Resilience Fazilpuria's personal life has seen its share of challenges. In 2016, he married Himani, a Gurugram native, in a love-cum-arranged marriage, but the union ended in divorce within three years, reportedly due to time constraints and professional commitments. Despite these personal losses, Fazilpuria has continued to channel his energy into his music and business ventures, earning admiration for his resilience. In 2018, Fazilpuria sought police protection after reporting suspicious activities near his home in Fazilpur village, citing an earlier attack on his car and concerns about being followed by unknown bikers. The 14 July attack bore a striking resemblance to the 2022 murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, with assailants in two vehicles—a Tata Punch and a Harrier—pursuing Fazilpuria's Thar. Fazilpuria's quick thinking allowed him to speed away, leveraging heavy traffic to evade the assailants. The incident occurred just a kilometer from his village, near CSD Apartments. (Edited by Viny Mishra) Also read: 'Nepotism rampant in both Bollywood & politics,' says rapper Fazilpuria, JJP's candidate from Gurugram
