Celebrity chef Vikas Khanna, along with Chef Ranveer Brar, recently stumbled upon Phantom Sweet Cigarettes at a shop in India. The nostalgic candy, popular among 90’s kids, instantly took them back in time. Vikas couldn’t help but share the moment with his followers on Instagram. Seeing those familiar red-and-white candy boxes was enough to trigger childhood memories for many of us!
Vikas Khanna & Ranveer Brar Relives Childhood With Phantom Sweet Cigarettes
There are some snacks, chips, sweets and chocolates that take us straight back to our childhood. Many of us grew up enjoying treats like Uncle Chipps, Hippo and more. But do you remember Phantom Sweet Cigarettes? Those chalky sugar sticks were once everywhere. Packed in a red-and-white box and designed to look like real cigarettes, they were wildly popular across India. Believe us when we say every kid wanted to get their hands on them!
And celebrity chefs Vikas Khanna and Ranveer Brar would agree. Vikas Khanna recently posted photos of two boxes of Phantom Sweet Cigarettes on his Instagram page. He wrote that after a “crazy shoot day”, he and Ranveer stopped at a store where his eyes “froze” on spotting Phantom Sweet Cigarettes. Even Ranveer was shocked and asked, “Yeh abhi bhi milte hai?”
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Vikas Khanna Recalls Memories With His Late Sister
Seeing the Phantom Sweet Cigarette boxes at the shop took Vikas Khanna straight back to his childhood. He recalled standing in the lane with his late sister Radha, holding those chalky candy sticks between their fingers. The moment was deeply emotional for him. He wrote, “In one second, the whole memory came alive. And in the next, grief followed—quiet and heavy. Thank you, Veer, for sharing this simple & sacred moment with me.”
Honestly, we can’t help but agree with Vikas Khanna. Every 90’s kid remembers pretending to smoke these candy sticks, copying adults who used to smoke. We literally begged our parents to buy us a box from the neighbourhood shop.
Many years ago, Phantom Sweet Cigarettes were sold at almost every store. Today, they are rare. But if you keep your eyes peeled, you might still spot them at small grocery shops. When I recently visited Mussoorie, I was surprised to see Phantom Sweet Cigarettes being sold at almost every other shop. It feels like these nostalgic candies are still around, just overshadowed by expensive chocolates and other fancy sweets.
Many of Vikas Khanna’s followers flooded the comments section with nostalgic comments. One of them wrote, “One day time-travel could be a reality. We will be able to revisit those places & times,” while another commented, “I was the chain smoker of this cigarette.” One Instagram user also commented, “Good old world and simpler days.”
Also Read: MasterChef India Welcomes Back Kunal Kapur! OG Judge Returns With Vikas Khanna & Ranveer Brar
Have you tried Phantom sweet cigarettes during your childhood? Let us know.
Cover Image Courtesy: @vikaskhannagroup/ Instagram and @ranveer.brar/ Instagram
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