“Dandruff Wali Chai?”: Video of Lucknow’s ‘Model Chai Wali’ Making Tea with Open Hair Sparks Online Debate
“Dandruff Wali Chai?”: Video of Lucknow's 'Model Chai Wali' Making Tea with Open Hair Sparks Online Debate
In recent days, a captivating video featuring Simran Gupta, popularly known as ‘Model Chai Wali,’ has taken social media by storm, gathering over 11 million views within just four days. The clip, shared by the food blogging channel The Hungry Panjabi, showcases Gupta, a beauty pageant winner turned entrepreneur, skillfully preparing chai at her bustling tea stall. Her rise reflects a developing trend among small entrepreneurs who have successfully transformed tea-selling into a fashionable and profitable venture, joining the ranks of notable figures like Nagpur’s Dolly Chaiwala and Prafull Billore, famously known as MBA Chai Wala.
Gupta was crowned Miss Gorakhpur in 2018 and ventured into the world of modeling. She shared, “Winning the Miss Gorakhpur title boosted my confidence significantly. After that, I moved to Delhi and began receiving modeling offers, even appearing in a few advertisements. My career was thriving until the onset of Covid, which impacted everyone’s work due to the lockdown. Unfortunately, I had to return to my hometown, Gorakhpur.” As the sole breadwinner for her family, Gupta turned to entrepreneurship to generate income. Inspired by renowned tea sellers like MBA Chai Wala Prafull Billore and Priyanka Gupta from Patna, she opened her own tea shop in Lucknow.
While this isn’t her first experience with fame, a recent video of Gupta making tea at her Model Chai Wali shop has gone viral on Instagram. In the clip, she is seen wearing a pink top and trousers, playfully flipping her hair as she brews masala chai for her customers. The video has garnered over 10,000 comments, with many praising her for being an independent entrepreneur and building her brand. However, some viewers criticized her for not wearing gloves and having her hair down while preparing food. One commenter expressed concern, saying, “I have a problem with that hair open and hands without gloves… she is constantly touching her hair and then food!” Another added, “Chai ke saath baal free (hair free with tea).”
