3 weeks ago
Blockbuster Cafe: FTII-Born Bollywood Eatery Feeds Students Affordably
Sameer Khan grew up at a famous movie school in India called FTII, where he watched films with the students and talked to teachers.
As a child, his dream was to open a restaurant one day.
In 2018, he opened a cafe right outside the school gates in the city of Pune.
The cafe is decorated with posters of old Bollywood movies, like a little museum of films.
Even the food menu has funny movie jokes, with dish names inspired by film titles.
He keeps prices low so students who do not have much money can enjoy good food.
His special chicken biryani is a big favourite with customers and costs very little.
When the pandemic made things hard, he still cooked meals for students stuck at the school.
When gas became expensive, he did not raise his prices and just served fewer dishes instead.
Students love him so much that they call him “Sameer Bhai,” which means “brother Sameer.”
Sameer Khan, who grew up in the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) staff quarters, opened Blockbuster Cafe on June 6, 2018, on Law College Road just outside the institute gates in Pune.
The cafe is a family venture funded by the pooled savings of Sameer Khan, his wife, and their two children, fulfilling his childhood dream of opening a restaurant.
The Bollywood-themed space features a collage of classic film posters including Pyaasa, Guide, and Kaagaz Ke Phool, along with menu sections named with puns like 'ANDAA'apna apna' for eggs and 'RAEES' for biryani.
The crowd favourite is the Chicken Dum Biryani, priced at Rs 140 for a single portion and Rs 270 for a full plate, with prices deliberately kept low so students can afford the food.
During the pandemic Sameer suffered heavy losses but kept the kitchen open to feed students stranded on the FTII campus, and during an LPG crisis he refused to raise prices, temporarily reducing the menu instead.
- Who
- Sameer Khan, a former resident of the Film and Television Institute of India's staff quarters, along with his wife, their two children, and FTII students who are loyal regulars.
- What
- The opening and running of Blockbuster Cafe, a Bollywood-themed, student-friendly cafe established outside the FTII campus.
- Where
- Law College Road, just outside the gates of the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune.
- When
- The cafe opened on June 6, 2018; Sameer's father passed away in 2006, and the story covers Sameer's childhood through the pandemic and a recent LPG crisis.
- Why
- To fulfill Sameer Khan's childhood dream of opening a restaurant and to provide high-quality, affordable food for students.
Key facts
- Cafe name
- Blockbuster Cafe
- Owner
- Sameer Khan, with his wife and two children
- Opened
- June 6, 2018
- Location
- Law College Road, outside FTII gates, Pune
- Theme
- Classic Bollywood posters and movie quotes
- Signature dish
- Chicken Dum Biryani
- Biryani price
- Rs 140 (single), Rs 270 (full plate)
- Notable guests
- Kamlesh Sawant, Joy Fernandes, Govind Namdev
Quotes
Sameer Khan
Owner and founder of Blockbuster Café
“I wanted to start this cafe for students, so I will keep the prices they can afford.”
indianexpress.com
“This cafe was a shared dream of my family, who have always supported me.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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