16 hrs ago
Vijay’s Leo Cafe Becomes Kashmir Pilgrimage for South Indian Fans
Sifar is a cafe in Kashmir that appeared in the movie Leo.
Vijay played a cafe owner in the film.
After people watched the movie, many fans wanted to visit the real cafe.
Tourists from southern India now stop there during Kashmir trips.
They take pictures in the same places as Vijay’s character.
Some visitors copy his scenes from the movie.
They also order the hot chocolate and trout fish shown on screen.
The cafe became famous because of the film, without needing much advertising.
Sifar cafe near Mattan became a major tourist stop after appearing in Vijay’s 2023 film Leo.
The cafe reportedly attracts hundreds of visitors from Tamil Nadu and other southern states each day.
Fans recreate Vijay’s scenes, take photographs, and order the hot chocolate and trout fish shown in the film.
The month-long Leo shoot in 2023 transformed the previously modest roadside cafe’s fortunes.
Local drivers and tour operators now include Sifar in itineraries to Pahalgam and other Kashmir destinations.
- Who
- Sifar cafe, Vijay’s fans, and tourists from Tamil Nadu and other southern states.
- What
- A cafe featured in Leo has become a popular tourism stop and fan destination.
- Where
- On the Khanbal-Pahalgam road near Mattan, about 40 km from Pahalgam and 60 km from Srinagar.
- When
- After Leo was released in 2023; the report is dated September 28.
- Why
- Key scenes from Leo were filmed there, prompting fans to visit and recreate moments from the movie.
Key facts
- Cafe
- Sifar, named after the Urdu word for zero
- Film
- Leo, released in 2023
- Filming
- The movie was shot at the cafe over about one month in 2023
- Location
- Khanbal-Pahalgam road near Mattan
- Reported visitors
- Hundreds of visitors from southern India daily
- Popular orders
- Hot chocolate and trout fish featured in the film
- Tourism impact
- Local drivers and tour operators include the cafe in Kashmir itineraries
Quotes
Vishwa
Tourist from Chennai
“I have been a fan of Vijay sir since childhood. Standing at the exact spots where he shot and having lunch here was thrilling. The cafe has become a bridge between Kashmir and south India.”
theprint.in
“I watched the movie and it was so good. Vijay’s acting, the sequences, the story of the movie. As soon as we entered, we thought of recreating the whole scene.”
theprint.in
Sabzar Ahmed Lone
Manager of the Sifar cafe
“Since the film released, tourists from Tamil Nadu and other southern states landing in Kashmir ask for Sifar first. They order the exact same hot chocolate and trout fish that Vijay had in the movie, recreate his scenes, and take photos with our banners and menus.”
theprint.in
Sources
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