For decades, Olive Bar & Kitchen has been a favourite meeting spot for Bollywood celebrities, filmmakers and industry insiders. Over the years, the restaurant has quietly witnessed several unforgettable moments involving some of Hindi cinema’s biggest stars, from unexpected friendships to awkward misunderstandings and rumoured rivalries. Now, AD Singh, founder of Olive Bar & Kitchen, has shared some of those behind-the-scenes stories from the restaurant’s early days, including anecdotes involving Salman Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan.
Speaking to ET Now, Singh recalled that Rishi Kapoor and Randhir Kapoor were regular visitors at the restaurant. He remembered Rishi once telling him that his son Ranbir had returned from film school and was deeply passionate about becoming an actor.
Recalling the incident, Singh said, “Rishi Kapoor and Randhir Kapoor used to come here often. One day, Rishi told me, ‘My son is coming back from film school.’ Ranbir was just a kid at that time, and Rishi said he was very passionate about movies and wanted to become an actor.”
Singh then described an amusing moment involving Salman and a young Ranbir at the restaurant one evening. According to him, Ranbir spent most of the night following Salman around, without the actor realising who he was.
“One Thursday night, Ranbir was here along with Salman and his brothers, and Ranbir kept hanging around Salman. Salman didn’t know who this kid was. At one point, he got irritated, came up to Ranbir, picked him up by the collar and was almost about to throw him into the little fish pond we had,” Singh recalled.
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He added that Salman’s brothers quickly intervened and informed him that the teenager was Rishi Kapoor’s son.
“His brothers came running and said, ‘This is Chintu ji’s son.’ Salman was shocked. Then he realised why Ranbir had been hanging around him, and he immediately apologised,” Singh said.
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According to Singh, Salman later made sure to personally apologise to Rishi Kapoor and even gave Ranbir a gift.
“Apparently, the next day he went to Rishi Kapoor’s house, apologised and gifted Ranbir a watch as an apology,” he added.
Salman Khan later made a cameo appearance in Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor’s debut film Saawariya.
When Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan shut down rivalry rumours
Singh also recalled another memorable evening involving Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan at a time when rumours of tension between the two actors were dominating headlines.
According to Singh, Hrithik had just emerged as Bollywood’s newest sensation, while Shah Rukh was already firmly established as a superstar. Media speculation at the time often painted the two actors as rivals.
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“Shah Rukh was already the king, and then this new boy, Hrithik Roshan, came along. Girls loved him, and the media was projecting him as the next big thing. An atmosphere had been created that the two hated each other,” Singh said.
He recalled that one evening, Shah Rukh was dining at the restaurant when Hrithik walked in unexpectedly, leaving the entire restaurant anticipating an awkward confrontation.
“Shah Rukh was dining here at our special table when the door opened and Hrithik walked in. The whole restaurant froze, and most people expected there would be a scene because that narrative had already been created in everyone’s head,” he said.
Instead, the evening unfolded very differently.
“All eyes turned towards them. Shah Rukh got up and walked towards Hrithik, and Hrithik also walked towards him. They met, Shah Rukh gave him a huge hug, and they exchanged pleasantries, with Shah Rukh appreciating him,” Singh added.
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Interestingly, despite the rumours of rivalry at the time, Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan worked together in Karan Johar’s Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.
