Amid growing buzz around Bastian’s massive daily business, actor Shilpa Shetty and co-owner, restaurateur Ranjit Bindra have responded to claims that the popular dining brand generates Rs 2-3 crore a day. In a recent conversation with Curly Tales, the duo opened up on Bastian’s journey, from its early days to becoming one of Mumbai’s most recognised restaurant chains, and how their partnership began. Shilpa partnered with Ranjit, the founder of the Bastian brand, in 2019. She now co-owns the brand and has a 50 percent stake in it.
Shilpa Shetty recalled first walking into Bastian as a customer back in 2016, long before she became a co-owner.
“I am so happy Ranjit and I met. I met him in Bastian when I came there as a customer in 2016. That’s when we started talking, and he told me he was opening another outlet in Worli, which also went on to become an iconic place. But I want to share the story behind it — I was not convinced at all because that location was just a barren space back then. He was simply convinced that he would turn it into a top-running restaurant. We opened during Covid, but that’s where the brand Bastian truly took shape. Today, we have eight restaurants across four different brands under Bastian.”
Ranjit Bindra on why he thought of Shilpa Shetty as a partner
Ranjit Bindra, on the other hand, shared that Shilpa Shetty’s presence brought a different energy to the venture.
“She had a different energy. When I spoke to her, there was always a positive vibe. I always wished Shilpa should become a part of Bastian — and I was right. She was my lucky charm.”
Speaking about the importance of having a celebrity associated with a hospitality brand, Ranjit explained that visibility plays a key role. “Celebrity matters because you get exposure through that. It helps people recognise you everywhere. Shilpa plays that part tremendously. Her inputs always matter to me. She is like an older sister to me, so whatever she says, I just follow.”
Ranjit revealed that it took nearly four years for Bastian to become profitable.
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How much Bastian earns in a day?
When asked about reports suggesting that Bastian earns Rs 2-3 crore a day, Ranjit Bindra responded candidly, “I hope that was true. I am sure one day it would be true, so let’s keep our fingers crossed.”
The buzz around Bastian clocking a nightly turnover of Rs 2-3 crore began after author Shobhaa De made the claim on Mojo Story.
Shobhaa said, “One single restaurant in Mumbai has a turnover of Rs 2-3 crore a night. On slow night, the turnover is Rs 2 crore and on weekends it is Rs 3 crore. I walked into that restaurant to see it myself because when I heard these numbers… I said this can’t be true.”
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When asked by Barkha Dutt which restaurant she was referring to, she added, “It’s Bastian. It’s the new Bastian. It’s on the top. It is 21,000 ft square feet, it’s not even reality. You walk in there and you feel ‘where am I?’ You have a 360° view of the city.”
Shobhaa also revealed that the restaurant serves 1,400 people in a single night, with guests arriving in high-end cars.
“They do two seatings, each of 700 people and they cover 1,400 people in one night. They have a waiting list of people waiting downstairs on the road in Dadar, which is like the heartland of old Maharashtrian conservative area in Mumbai. There are people coming in Lamborghini and Aston Martin. You name it. Who are these people? I have no idea,” she said.
About Bastian
Bastian began in 2016 as an 80-seater restaurant in Bandra. In 2019, it expanded with a 210-seater space in Worli featuring rich interiors.
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The Worli outlet was eventually shut within three years due to redevelopment, but the team quickly pivoted. Within three months, they launched a 500-seater restaurant in Dadar with a sea link view.
Today, the brand has grown to eight restaurants across four different verticals.
