Around Town: The Chembur jalebi shop built by a Partition family that even the Kapoors loved

The business name ‘Satu’s’ was handwritten on a slate in chalk. “It was named after my great-grandfather Satumal Magumal Karachiwala, who had a thriving business in Karachi. My grandfather Khatumal Satumal Jagwani and father also worked there before they had to upend their lives,” said Bharat.

That cart was parked near what is now the Crime Branch office in Chembur, shared Bharat’s son Krishna, 32, adding that when the establishment came up and the cart had to move, the government gave them a small space to set up shop. It was no more than 10 by 10 feet.

Bharat Magumal Jagwani, 62, with his three sons Krishna, Ritesh and Kunal at Satu’s in Chembur. (Express Photo by Akash Patil)

In 1958, Magumal Khatumal Jagwani moved into that shop and formalised the business. “There was no shutter, just a cloth tied across the front at night. One kadhai. One product: jalebi. Alongside it was a tea stall called Satu’s Tea and Cold Drink Centre, separated from the sweet shop by a partition,” recalled Bharat.

The jalebi was the reason people came. And it still is.

All the celebrities from nearby RK Studio and Homi Wadia’s Basant Studio would pack samosa and jalebi from here. “Raj Kapoor would personally come every Sunday to buy jalebis. My father would make it himself. Even his son Rajiv used to come before he entered the film industry. Randhir and Rishi would also come, as did Dara Singh and Dharmendra,” shared Bharat, who joined the business in 1972 after completing his 10th standard.

He expanded it. First came Bengali sweets. Then, within a year or two, a full snacks counter — patties, chole bhature, dal pakwan, kachori, vada, dhokla and papda. Then an entire range of kaju varieties beyond just katli, say mewa bites, mawa jalebi, sitting alongside Sindhi delights like sev barfi, which old Sindhi customers still call singar ki mithai. The shop that began with one pan of jalebi now offers more than 200 varieties of sweets and over 15 kinds of namkeen.

Crispy-thin jalebis — fresh from the kadhai, soaked in sugar syrup — remain the star at Satu’s. (Express Photo by Akash Patil)

Bharat’s golden period, by his own reckoning, was 2000 to 2005. His father was no longer physically fit and he was running everything alone. “The business had expanded so much in every way that I didn’t even have time to look up,” he said.

In 2015, the shop was renovated entirely, and gifting hampers and display systems were added. Today, the ground floor spans about 800 square feet, while the total space — including upper levels and the back area extends to roughly 4,000 square feet, a long way from 10 by 10.

The shop still opens at 6am, as it always has. Crispy-thin jalebis — fresh from the kadhai, soaked in sugar syrup — remain the star. On a regular day, 15 to 25 kilograms of jalebi are sold. During the festive stretch from Shravan through Diwali, that rises to 100 to 200 kilograms a day. Most customers still prefer small portions, 100 grams at a time, the way it has always been eaten here.

The best sellers beyond jalebi are besan gajak made in desi ghee — so well regarded that people travelling to America or London specifically request it to carry back, shared Bharat. People also order raw patties and samosas to fry at home.

Bharat Magumal Jagwani with his son Kunal (in black shirt) make fresh jalebis at Satu’s in Chembur. (Express photo by Akash Patil)

“One is faith,” said Bharat, when asked why people keep coming back. “We have been doing this for so many years. And the other is quality. We have never compromised on that.”

Now the fifth generation is at the counter: Ritesh, 37, Kunal, 36, and Krishna, 32. While Krishna and Ritesh are also involved in other businesses, Kunal’s sole focus currently is the mithai shop. The family briefly expanded to Navi Mumbai in 2019 with two outlets but shut both in 2023 when the pandemic dented business and rents doubled. They are now eyeing a restaurant on the first floor by year-end and growth through a franchise model. A new outlet in Vashi is in the works.