4 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Dec 22, 2025 04:00 PM IST
Celebrities venturing into the hospitality business is nothing new. From Virat Kohli and Shilpa Shetty to Mouni Roy and Gauri Khan, several stars have successfully built thriving restaurant brands. However, the same fortune did not smile on Dhurandhar actor Arjun Rampal, who launched what was arguably India’s first high-profile members-only nightclub—a bold experiment that eventually shut its doors after regulatory troubles and a police raid.
Unlike celebrity-owned restaurants that allow easy walk-ins, Rampal’s club LAP functioned on exclusivity. Launched in 2009 at the ITDC-run Hotel Samrat in Delhi, LAP allowed entry only to members or guests accompanied by members. The club sprawled across 17,000 square feet and boasted ultra-luxurious interiors, Swarovski chandeliers, a baroque fountain as its centrepiece, and more than six resident DJs.
LAP quickly became a hotspot for Delhi’s elite. In 2011, it hosted the official after-parties of the Formula One Indian Grand Prix, even welcoming Lady Gaga. The following year, Rampal shut the club for four months to revamp it, introducing elevated seating areas, plush sofas, large paintings for an old-world feel, an expanded dance floor, a redesigned bar, and a pop-up restaurant outside the main club area.
Speaking to IANS at the time, Rampal said, “I wanted to create an experience for people. When I felt it wasn’t good enough anymore, we decided to redraw and relook at the structure. The pop-up restaurant will change menu every six months.”
Entry into LAP came at a steep price. Walk-in cover charges during F1 parties ranged between Rs 15,000 and Rs 25,000, while premium guests paid up to Rs 40,000, inclusive of food and drinks. Membership initially cost Rs 1 lakh, later raised to Rs 2 lakh, with members enjoying perks such as discounts and the ability to bring up to six guests. To book a centre table that seats up to 10 people, one had to guarantee a spend of Rs 50,000.
Arjun Rampal would often visit the place and play the DJ with his friend Shah Rukh Khan.
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However, the nightclub industry in Delhi faced a major setback after the 2012 Nirbhaya case, which led to stricter closing hours and regulations. Most clubs were forced to shut by 1 am. Rampal publicly opposed early shutdowns, arguing that they affected employment and did not address women’s safety concerns.
“We also employ people… when you shut clubs and institutions down, those people will lose their jobs. What are they going to do… they are going to commit more crimes because they are not graduates. My bouncers and my security people were gundas who have got a decent job now. I am rehabilitating them. Government needs to look at all those things.”
The final blow came in July 2016, when LAP was raided by the Crime Branch’s Narcotics Unit for allegedly operating beyond permitted hours and running on an expired licence. The actor also faced allegations of unpaid dues. According to reports, Rampal owed around Rs 4.5 crore in rent to Hotel Samrat, of which only Rs 2.5 crore was paid.
Following these controversies, LAP permanently shut down—bringing an end to one of Delhi’s most ambitious and exclusive nightlife experiments, even as Rampal had reportedly been considering opening the club to non-members on select days.
Dhurandhar actor had opened an high-profile restaurant. (Photo: X)