Bull in the English pub: How Rakesh Jhunjhunwala unwound after a long day

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“Main zindagi ka saath nibhata chala gaya, har fikr ko dhuen mein udata chala gaya.” This lyric from the 1961 Bollywood film 'Hum Dono' translates as “I kept up with life and let my worries go up in smoke”. Billionaire investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala identified with the line, and it  was not unusual to hear him humming the retro Hindi tune, a glass of Johnnie Walker Blue Label whisky in hand, when he visited Geoffrey’s, says Prince Thangjam, the pub’s bar and  restaurant manager.

For the better part of two decades, the Big Bull would regularly drop into Geoffrey’s, at Hotel Marine Plaza on Mumbai’s Marine Drive, to unwind for a bit.

“Aaj market kharab raha, sir (the market was bad today)," was a refrain he frequently heard at the pub, as he dined at his preferred table, a semi-circular affair to the right of the entrance. And while he may not have been in the mood to talk shop, Jhunjhunwala would for the most part oblige patrons who inflicted themselves upon him with his stock response: “Arrey nahi yaar. Paisa daal ke rakho, time ke saath upar hi jana hain. (No, my friend. Stay invested, the markets will only  rise with time)". Thereafter, he would politely change the topic, asking them instead about their professions and family.

Jhunjhunwala would regularly drop into Geoffrey’s, at Hotel Marine Plaza on Mumbai’s Marine Drive

Music and poetry

Geoffrey’s was the only pub in the area with an English feel to it, in terms of the music and décor. This seemed to appeal to Jhunjhunwala for some reason, and was among the reasons he hung out there, according to those who knew him well.

The Big Bull liked listening to old English songs but sometimes played Hindi songs on his phone and sang along while he was at the watering hole. He also enjoyed English poetry and the staff sometimes heard him reciting verses aloud. In an interview with friend and associate Ramesh Damani on his 60th birthday in 2020, RJ, as Jhunjhunwala is popularly referred to, said he wanted to develop a hobby that would keep him occupied in his sunset years, and mentioned singing as one of the things he hoped to learn.

Thangam, who served Jhunjhunwala for nearly five years at the pub, said that his favourite dish was “boiled egg with a customised masala”, in a plate garnished with tomatoes, garlic and vegetables — Jhunjhunwala was fussy about the way they were arranged. Whenever he called the pub to say he was coming, the chef would be told to prepare the dish.

Jhunjhunwala was informal with the staff who served him, and occasionally joked with them. Once when he called for a much cheaper drink instead of his regular tipple, a waiter asked him the reason. “Arrey, dost, markets don’t make money every day,” RJ quipped. Perhaps it was his way of saying it was a bad day at the office.

On another occasion, when he was presented with the bill, he called the waiter and asked him the way to the kitchen. When the puzzled waiter asked him why, RJ said: "I don’t have so much money, I will wash dishes (and settle the bill)."

The Big Bull could be quite demanding as well. Geoffrey’s offers discounts to its valuable customers and Jhunjhunwala was among them. If he was ever presented a bill sans the discount, he would summon the senior manager and insist on getting it.

But equally, he was a generous tipper. Thangam did not disclose the percentage of his usual tip but said that “it was quite high by Indian standards”. He, however, did cite one example to underline Jhunjhunwala’s generosity. “One evening, he forgot to pay a bill and left. The following morning, without us having to remind him, he had the money sent across. It was a good 50 percent more than the actual bill, and even he would have been aware of that.”