Celebrity hospitality in India now includes direct ownership, partnerships and brand collaborations. These current restaurants show the different models behind the famous names.
Celebrity involvement in restaurants is often described too loosely. One person may own an equity stake; another may be a co-founder or creative partner; another may back a brand operated by an established hospitality company.
That distinction matters. This guide therefore uses “celebrity-backed” as the umbrella term and identifies the structure where reliable sourcing makes it clear. It is not a ranking, and inclusion does not imply that The Food Eaters has personally visited or tasted at these venues.
Bastian — Shilpa Shetty and Ranjit Bindra
Bastian is one of the clearest examples of direct celebrity equity in Indian hospitality. The Indian Express reported in February 2026 that Shilpa Shetty partnered with founder Ranjit Bindra in 2019 and holds a 50% stake in the Bastian brand.
The useful editorial point is not the celebrity clientele around the brand; it is the business model. Bastian operates as a substantial restaurant group rather than a one-night endorsement or licensing exercise.
Sweeney — Malaika Arora and Dhaval Udeshi, Mumbai
Sweeney opened in Khar in 2026 as a project from Malaika Arora and restaurateur Dhaval Udeshi. Vogue India’s launch coverage describes it as their restaurant and positions it as an all-day neighbourhood space built around a courtyard and a long-established mango tree.
The partnership framing is important here: this is not presented as a solo celebrity venture. It pairs a public figure with an experienced Mumbai restaurateur.
one8 Commune — Virat Kohli with hospitality partners, multiple cities
one8 Commune has expanded into a multi-city restaurant brand. Its official site currently lists outlets across Mumbai, Delhi, Gurugram, Bengaluru, Pune, Jaipur, Goa and other markets.
A Restaurant India profile of True Palate Hospitality co-founder Ankit Tayal identifies one8 Commune as a venture in partnership with Virat Kohli, which is a more precise formulation than simply calling every outlet personally owned by the cricketer.
Torii — Gauri Khan and partners, Mumbai
Gauri Khan’s Torii is another case where partnership details matter. Architectural Digest India reported that Khan entered hospitality as a restaurateur with partners Abhayraj Kohli and Tanaaz Bhatia, while also leading the restaurant’s design identity.
Torii is therefore best described as a Gauri Khan-backed and co-founded restaurant rather than using a vague celebrity-ownership label with no qualification.
OJU — Karan Johar with True Palate Hospitality
OJU comes from the House of Neuma. Vogue India described Neuma as co-owned by filmmaker Karan Johar along with True Palate Hospitality, with OJU developed under that hospitality group.
The concept began in Gurugram and later expanded to Mumbai. This is a useful example of a celebrity-backed restaurant built with experienced hospitality operators rather than around celebrity branding alone.
Bad Boy Pizza — Badshah and Karan Tanna
Bad Boy Pizza sits in a different category from the high-end restaurants above. It is a quick-service pizza brand rather than a destination fine-dining room.
Indian Retailer’s 2026 coverage describes Bad Boy Pizza as a celebrity-backed QSR co-founded by rapper Badshah and entrepreneur Karan Tanna, with expansion plans beyond its early outlets.
That makes it useful in this list because it shows how celebrity hospitality is moving into scalable formats, not just expensive standalone restaurants.
Arambam — Rakul Preet Singh with Curefoods
Arambam is a millet-forward South Indian brand run within the Curefoods portfolio. Curefoods’ brand page states that Arambam launched in partnership with actor Rakul Preet Singh and currently operates across multiple Indian cities.
This is one of the clearest examples of a celebrity-backed brand where the hospitality/food company remains central to day-to-day scale and operations.
Joharfa — Mohammed Siraj, Hyderabad
Cricketer Mohammed Siraj launched Joharfa in Hyderabad in 2025. The Times of India’s launch coverage described the restaurant as Siraj’s first restaurant venture, with a menu spanning Mughlai, Persian, Arabian and Chinese influences.
Unlike a national chain attached to a celebrity name, Joharfa is closely tied to Hyderabad, the city with which Siraj is publicly associated.
What the famous name does — and does not — tell you
Celebrity involvement can explain why a restaurant gets attention, but it does not tell you what kind of evening the venue offers. Bastian and Torii are different propositions from a scalable QSR such as Bad Boy Pizza or a food-brand partnership such as Arambam. OJU and one8 Commune both illustrate how hospitality operators and celebrity partners can share the brand story.
Before booking, check the restaurant’s current location, operating hours and reservation policy. Celebrity restaurant portfolios can expand, relocate or change faster than older independent institutions, so current venue information matters more than launch-week coverage.
![Staff preparing or dispatching school meals at Akshaya Patra's Kalyan kitchen [use only if the scene and location are verified].](https://thefoodeaters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Untitled-design-94-150x150.jpg)
