‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ actor Shantanu Maheshwari joined our anchor, Rohan Richard, in Mumbai’s Kanjurmarg for one of our Tere Gully Mein episodes. The yummy food trail consisted of Mumbaiya street food with fun conversations. Our guest spoke about his journey as a dancer to being cast as an actor in a blockbuster Sanjay Leela Bhansali film, his life in Mumbai and more. He also shared the cultural shock he underwent when moving to Mumbai from Kolkata; read on.
Shantanu Maheshwari’s Cultural Shock In Shifting To Mumbai From Kolkata
The actor and dancer Shantanu calls Kolkata his home. The City of Joy is where life seems to slow down and locals take their sweet little time to live life. This city completely contrasts Mumbai, where people value each second and embrace their fastest lives. There is a reason why Mumbai’s moniker is the city that never sleeps, it truly never does!
When Shantanu shifted to Mumbai for college, he experienced a massive cultural shock. The initial months were spent trying to adjust to the racing crowd and food options to match the fast-paced life of the financial capital of India. He said, “It was hard for me to settle in Mumbai as I wasn’t mentally ready to shift here.”
The actor explained that he didn’t go to Mumbai for any career prospects in acting or dancing. It was rather because he didn’t apply to colleges in his hometown. He was left with no other choice but to fly to his aunt’s house in Mumbai and try his luck. Then his lovely sisters helped him apply to good colleges. Finally, he secured admission to the prestigious HR College in Economics.
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He Developed A Liking Towards Vada Pav
Shantanu recalled adapting to Mumbai’s lifestyle was the biggest hassle for him. He slowly developed a taste for the iconic street food of Mumbai, vada pav. This snack item has a special place in his heart and now, there is no going back!
Also Read: Shantanu Maheshwari Explores Kanjurmarg On A Tere Gully Mein Episode; Enjoys THESE Yummy Dishes
During his time in college, jumbo vada pav and cheese vada pav were the talk of the town for Mumbaikars. He would relish these food items seldomly as they were costlier than the normal version. After acquiring a taste for this dish, he tried anda pav, samosa pav, dabeli and other Mumbai delicacies. In this way, he was introduced to Maharashtrian cuisine and appreciated it better.
Watch this episode to learn why Shantanu didn’t eat pani puri in Mumbai.
Cover Image Courtesy: Internal
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