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Pani puri, ‘combat edition’: Why this Mumbai vendor is firing jaljeera from a water gun
In a viral video, the vendor leans fully into the theme, dressed in Matrix-style combat attire, all black with tactical accessories, turning the simple street snack into something of a live performance.
The clip shows him working swiftly from one customer to the next, loading puris and shooting the pani with surprising accuracy
A street food vendor in Mumbai has caught the internet’s attention by serving pani puri in a way few expected, with a super-soaker water gun filled with jaljeera. The unusual setup was filmed and posted on Instagram by Mumbai-based vlogger Sakshi Gadhave, who captioned the viral clip: “Pani puri, but make it combat edition.”
In the video, the vendor leans fully into the theme, dressed in Matrix-style combat attire, all black with tactical accessories, turning the simple street snack into something of a live performance. Instead of the usual steel container or ladle, he fills a brightly coloured water gun with tangy pani.
Once the puris are stuffed with the classic spicy potato mixture, he aims and fires the jaljeera into them. In some moments, customers tilt their heads back as he sprays the flavoured water directly into their mouths, adding to the theatrical flair.
The clip shows him working swiftly from one customer to the next, loading puris and shooting the pani with surprising accuracy while amused onlookers queue up for their turn. The text overlay the video reads, “When Gen Z takes over the pani puri thela.”
Watch the video here:
View this post on Instagram
Online reactions were just as animated. Many users applauded the creativity, with one writing, “Thanks for the startup idea.” Another commented, “Eating Panipuri is a Fun but never Imagine it with a Gun.”
Not everyone was impressed. One sceptical viewer remarked, “Food safety is a joke in India anyway so why not serve acidic pani through a cheap plastic gun too? Tamarind water can nicely leach chemicals from non-food-grade plastic, and that cute little nozzle can double up as a bacteria incubator for E. coli N Salmonella.”
Another added, “Nobody caring about BPA safe insecticide pesticide now, trends are seriously crazzzzzyyyyyy.”
Meanwhile, many others simply filled the comments with heart and heart-eye emojis, clearly entertained by the inventive twist on the much-loved snack.
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