Can a Celebrity Post Help a Business Come Out of Debt?

Can one social media post by a celebrity change the future of a small business? It may sound surprising, but the story of a small Mumbai restaurant shows how powerful celebrity attention can be.

Delhi Se, a small restaurant in Chembur, Mumbai, was once struggling with falling sales and heavy debt. The restaurant was started by brothers Jaspal Singh Khalsa and Mahinder Singh Khalsa in October 2021. The small outlet had only three tables and nine seats and mainly served Delhi-style food, especially chole bhature.

Things became difficult within a few months. According to the owners, sales started falling in early 2022. By September, they were reportedly facing debt of around Rs 18 lakh. The brothers were even thinking about closing the restaurant.

Then, an unexpected social media post changed everything.

Comedian Abhishek Upmanyu visited Delhi Se and tried its chole bhature. He later spoke about the restaurant on Instagram. Soon, the owners noticed a sudden increase in customers. People started visiting the restaurant after seeing the recommendation online.

The biggest change came later when Anushka Sharma reportedly discovered the restaurant through the recommendation. She was looking for Delhi-style chole bhature in Mumbai and placed an order from her home for Virat Kohli.

The order was for two plates, costing Rs 240 at that time. For the small restaurant, however, the order became a memorable moment.

Anushka later shared her experience on Instagram and praised the restaurant for serving chole bhature that reminded her of Delhi. Her post brought even more attention to Delhi Se.

The restaurant suddenly became crowded. According to the owners, customers were waiting for long periods to get their food. The kitchen had to increase its production quickly to meet the demand.

The brothers said their daily chole preparation increased from around 8 kg to nearly 100 kg within just a few days. They even asked people nearby to help soak chickpeas so they could manage the growing number of orders.

Today, Delhi Se has expanded to four outlets in Chembur, Mulund, Andheri West and Vashi. The owners claim that the business now sells more than 3,000 plates of chole bhature every day.

They have also claimed that their monthly sales have increased significantly from the difficult period. However, these business figures are based on statements from the restaurant owners and have not been independently verified.

The story of Delhi Se shows how quickly social media attention can change the visibility of a small business. A comedian's recommendation followed by a celebrity's post brought thousands of people to a restaurant that was once considering shutting down.