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The Film-maker's New Act: When Karan Johar Gets Behind the Bar There was a time when film-makers stayed in their lanes. They made movies, collected awards, and perhaps, if they were feeling adventurous, launched a production house. But in today's world, creative boundaries have become wonderfully porous. So when Karan Johar, the man who gave us Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and redefined Bollywood glamour, decided to venture into the restaurant business, I wasn't entirely surprised. What did surprise me, however, was just how seriously he's taken this new role. After the success of Neuma in Mumbai—his elegant European venture in the restored colonial bungalow that once housed Indigo—Johar has now set his sights on Gurgaon with Oju. The new Japanese restaurant opened recently on Golf Course Road, and if you're wondering about the name, "Oju" carries that kind of mysterious, evocative quality that Johar loves—simple enough to remember, intriguing enough to make you curious. I made my way to Oju on a recent evening, admittedly more curious about the cocktail program than anything else. You see, when a film-maker opens a restaurant, you expect a certain amount of theatrical flair, perhaps some Bollywood-inspired touches. What you don't expect is the kind of serious bar program that Oju has managed to put together. The cocktail menu at Oju isn't just impressive—it's revelatory. Developed in collaboration with Countertop and the renowned Pankaj Balachandran, and executed by Head Mixologist Siya Negi, it represents something genuinely new in Delhi's drinking landscape. The concept is intriguing: a harmonious blend of Japanese precision with Peruvian boldness. Think izakaya drinking culture meets Lima's vibrant cocktail scene. I started with the Genmaicha—a cocktail that immediately announced this bar's serious intentions. Genmaicha-infused Chivas 12-year whiskey formed the base, complemented by shochu, jasmine rice syrup, malic acid, and soda. The result was delicate yet complex, with those toasty, floral notes that made you pause and actually think about what you were drinking. Oju is located at The Anya Hotel, Golf Course Road, DLF Phase 5, Gurgaon. Open evenings only.

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This post was published on 20th September, 2025 by Rahul on his Instagram handle "@rahulprabhakar (Rahul Prabhakar)". Rahul has total 65.1K followers on Instagram and has a total of 2.3K post. Rahul receives an average engagement rate of % per post on Instagram. This post has received 49 comments which are greater than the average comments that Rahul gets. Overall the engagement rate for this post was than the average for the profile.