Filmmaker Karan Johar doesn’t do ordinary — he sets a mood. Teaming up with Truepalate Hospitality founders Ankit Tayal, Anshul Goel, and Vartik Tihara (the collective behind One8 Commune, Pincode, and Jolene by the Sea), he unveils OJU — a Japanese dining space with global ambition that opened in NCR, earlier this year. “Gurugram was the ideal launchpad,” says Tayal. “Its diners are curious, well-travelled, and open to new dining formats. It gave us the space to refine OJU’s identity as a high-energy, ingredient-driven Japanese restaurant. Mumbai is the natural next step. The city’s dining culture is fast, expressive, and influential, and opening here places the brand in a larger cultural conversation,” he adds.

The Mumbai outpost is a moody, modern bar room that opens into a lush glasshouse terrace. Inside, a striking burl-veneer bar with antique brass detailing, a bold abstract artwork, and the sculptural floating ‘O’ set the tone. Deep lounge chairs, intimate tables, and focused lighting create a warm, cocooned atmosphere built for slow drinks and long conversations. Outside, the mood softens with community tables, a live sushi and robata counter, and hand-painted dome lights inspired by Japanese landscapes. It’s serene, tactile, and crafted for evenings that feel both elevated and easy.