Shilpa Shetty Opens Up on Bastian Brand Challenges and Public Life
Over the past six months, Shilpa Shetty and her husband Raj Kundra have consistently been in the spotlight. From allegations related to scams to reports hinting at the closure of her upscale and beloved restaurant brand Bastian, the couple has faced intense public scrutiny. However, in a recent interaction, Shilpa firmly stated that the surrounding noise has not weakened her determination. She emphasized her deep personal involvement in building the brand and reiterated her strong belief in the honesty of her efforts.
Navigating Public Scrutiny and Negativity
Reflecting on the difficulties of living under constant observation, Shilpa spoke about how public life often attracts negativity, yet she chooses to remain grounded. “It’s a very difficult path to constantly be in the public eye. And there is something called ‘nazar’, we always discuss it. When you’re constantly being discussed and talked about, it’s such a competitive field, and people can go to any lengths, unfortunately. We’re not that sort. I’m of the belief that there’s enough room for everyone to succeed,” she shared in an interview with Curly Tales.
When questioned about whether the recent wave of coverage has impacted her emotionally, Shilpa admitted that it does affect her, but she has developed strategies to cope. “It’s sad. I believe we’ve always stood our ground. As a company and as people, we’re known for our integrity. Like you asked me previously, does it hurt you? How do you deal with it? I’m human. There are many times I sit and think, why aren’t we talking about the good stuff? Why is it that we’re only picking on these things? But I think as a celebrity, the unfortunate part is that my name has become like clickbait. So I’ve taken it in my stride.”
Trust and Business Resilience
She added that trust and credibility are ultimately what matter most to audiences, which is why the business continues to thrive. “But people are very smart. They know how to segregate right from wrong. And we’re still thriving, we’re working, and the brand is working because it appeals to them. We’re giving them what they want.”
Breaking Silence on Bastian Speculation
Shilpa also explained her decision to break her usual silence and address online speculation about Bastian’s alleged closure. Typically, she avoids responding to rumors, but this time, the issue extended beyond her personal image. “I’ve never sought to explain because I believe as an actor or a celebrity, you should never complain, never explain. So I maintained stoic silence. But this time it was about a brand, a brand we’ve put so much love, passion, and effort into. There was something in the offing, and it wasn’t the right time for me to announce it. But I had to take to social media. And the PR we gained out of it, people thought it was bad PR, but you can’t build that kind of PR, for the love of money. We actually got that PR organically.”
Seated beside her during the interview was Ranjit Bindra, the original founder of the brand, who dismissed concerns about negative publicity with humor. “Not at all. Any kind of publicity is good publicity.” Shilpa echoed this sentiment, adding, “Even in negative PR, there’s always a positive takeaway because we’re both very positive in terms of our mindset.”
The Origin Story of Bastian Collaboration
Earlier in the conversation, Shilpa revisited her first encounter with Bastian—not as a business partner, but as a diner in 2016. That visit would eventually lay the foundation for a lasting collaboration. “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.”
