When legendary actor Dilip Kumar found a plate of Paani-Puri too expensive – Times of India

A new book titled ‘Dilip Kumar: In the Shadow of a Legend’ by Faisal Farooqui, founder, and CEO of a leading review and rating platform, released on July 7 to mark Dilip Kumar’s first death anniversary, includes many unknown stories and hilarious anecdotes from Kumar’s film shoots. It introduces the readers to a different side of the legend, such as his voracious appetite for books, his inquisitive and curious mind, his love for literature and poetry, how he came close to becoming the President of India, his love for food, and more.

We bring to you an exclusive extract from the ‘Dilip Kumar: In the Shadow of a Legend’, which sheds light on an incident when Dilip Saab found paani-puri to be expensive!

EXTRACT (With permission from Om Books International)

Sahab and I often used to drive down to a local shop for a plate of mouth-watering, sweet and spicy paani puri. He would pick me up in his maroon Mercedes and we would head to Karachi Sweets, which was then situated opposite St Stanislaus School at Hill Road in Bandra. We used to pull up next to the shop. The owner, receptive and accommodating of Sahab, would notice the car and send his best employee with plates of paani puri. Sahab would never exit his car. He was aware that the sheer number of people who would crowd outside Karachi Sweets just to meet him would overwhelm the store and the employees trying to run it.

On one lovely summer evening of 2004, Sahab said, “Let’s have paani puri by the sea today.”

So, we decided to stop by for a plate of paani puri at the sea- facing coffee shop at Taj Land’s End. Formerly known as the Regent’s Hotel, it was built and owned by Siraj Lokhandwala. One of the most beautiful locations in Mumbai, Regent’s Hotel suffered major financial losses, and eventually, the Lokhandwala family sold the property to India’s Taj Group of Hotels in late 2002.

Before we could find a table and settle down, people started approaching us, trying to meet Dilip Sahab. A thorough gentleman, after the first ten minutes of meet and greet, Sahab pointed towards me and said, “Meet him. He’s my friend. He’s very hungry, so I’ve brought him here so that we eat something. Please allow us to eat.”

Everyone smiled at us respectfully and we were given some privacy to enjoy our meal. We ordered two plates of paani puri. It was delicious. After we were done, Sahab requested for the bill. The manager came to our table and said, “Sir, it is our honour that you have graced us with your presence. We could never ask you to pay.”

Sahab was a man of honour himself, and I knew that he wouldn’t leave without paying the bill, so I decided to have a word with the manager privately.

“I understand you don’t want to offer Dilip Kumar the bill, but he won’t leave without paying. He will never accept not paying for the food he’s eating at a restaurant. He’ll just get unnecessarily upset.”

The manager finally gave in and assured me that he would personally bring the bill to our table in a few minutes. I headed back with a smile. When the cheque arrived, I habitually reached out for the small leather folder to pay. A slightly stunned Dilip Kumar stopped me.

“Why will you pay? I am older than you. I will pay the bill.”

He opened the soft folder, picked up the smooth long piece of paper, and for a minute, just stared at the amount. When he put the bill down to take out his wallet, I picked up the bill. Each plate of paani puri costed us 250 rupees. Sahab pulled a face and said, “Five hundred rupees for paani puri. Karachi Sweets on Hill Road serves better paani puri for just twenty rupees a plate.”

I chuckled at his reaction. A man of his stature could afford to buy each ingredient for a thousand rupees every single day of his life without flinching, but it was expensive for a plate of paani puri. The hard-working man inside him who grew up in Peshawar and Deolali and learned the value of hard-earned money in the canteens of Pune and the studios of Bombay, couldn’t reconcile himself to the exorbitant amount being charged for something that was available at a fraction of the price elsewhere.

“All the money we earn involves hard work. If you don’t put the work into it, you don’t respect it. Work hard, earn your living. You’ll always be proud of it, and you’ll never spend it on trivial things.” Yet another lesson from this most unassuming of men.

Also read:
A warm, intimate look at the man behind the legend: Book on Dilip Kumar releases on his first death anniversary