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Hyderabad: Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty is once again in the news, but this time not for a film. Her newly launched restaurant Ammakai in Mumbai became the centre of attention on Republic Day after it announced a free breakfast offer. What followed was massive crowding, viral videos, and a heated discussion online about India’s obsession with free things.

To celebrate Republic Day, Ammakai announced a free breakfast offer from 9.30 am to 11.30 am on a first-come, first-served basis. The announcement spread quickly, and people began arriving as early as 7 am. Long queues formed outside the restaurant in Bandra, stretching for hundreds of metres.

The turnout was far more than expected. Due to the heavy rush, the restaurant reportedly extended the free breakfast till 1 pm. Even then, many people were turned away after the offer period ended.

Videos and photos of the crowd soon went viral on social media, especially on X. Several users criticised those standing in line, claiming that many did not look underprivileged and appeared to be well-off residents of expensive apartments. Comments accused people of lacking self-respect and blamed the growing “freebie mindset.”

Others defended the crowd, saying there was nothing wrong in accepting a free offer that was open to everyone and that no one should be judged for it.

Shilpa Shetty had earlier co-owned the popular restaurant Bastian in Bandra along with businessman Ranjit Bindra. The restaurant was shut down last year for undisclosed reasons. Recently, the same space was relaunched as Ammakai Restaurant, a South Indian restaurant focusing on Mangalorean flavours. The reopening was marked with a special Republic Day gesture.

What started as a promotional offer quickly turned into a wider debate about privilege, mindset, and social behaviour in India. While the free breakfast was meant to promote Ammakai, it has now sparked a national conversation that goes far beyond food and restaurants.

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