Mumbai Restaurant, Co-owned By Sanjay Dutt, Faces Outrage For Serving Cocktail With 'Live Fish'

A popular bar in Mumbai is facing severe backlash after a video showed a live fish being used as part of a cocktail presentation, drawing accusations of animal cruelty. The incident has prompted widespread outrage on social media, with many calling the practice inhumane. Notably, Alta Stella, a constellation-themed luxury restro-bar launched recently by actor Sanjay Dutt in partnership with entrepreneur Abhimanyu Jakhar, initially gained traction on social media for its aesthetic appeal, with its celestial theme and high-end bar experience generating buzz among influencers. However, the early hype soon gave way to controversy after several posts surfaced online showing a cocktail being served with a live fish inside the glass.

Images and videos that went viral appeared to show the fish placed directly in the drink as part of the presentation, sparking widespread criticism. In one clip, the cocktail was allegedly set on fire while the fish remained inside. raising serious ethical questions.

"This is not a theme. This is cruelty. This is not creativity. This is cruelty made Instagrammable. A Mumbai bar, @altastellamumbai, has started placing live fish in glasses on dining tables as part of a zodiac concept. When fish are taken out of water, they don't just "die quickly." They can suffer for up to 24 minutes, slowly suffocating. Where are we headed? Why are we letting people normalise this? Normalising their exploitation as entertainment is a dangerous step backwards," the video was captioned on Instagram.

Watch the video here:

The incident triggered strong reactions across social media platforms, with users, animal welfare advocates, and activists condemning the practice. Many questioned the responsibility of luxury hospitality venues in ensuring ethical treatment of living beings, even in the context of creative presentation.

Users highlighted that removing fish from appropriate aquatic environments, even for short durations, can subject them to extreme stress, oxygen deprivation, and potential death.

One user wrote, "Cheap tricks to gain customers... Why don't y'all put yourselves into fish tanks and swim around for your customers... They will pay a lot more to watch that."

Another commented, "What do you think you're doing here? Trying to make things look good to the eyes? No, this is absolutely sick and needs to STOP right now."

"Seriously? You're contributing to the suffering of innocent creatures now because your decor options are exhausted?," stated a third. A fourth added, "Come on, guys, you can do better. I wonder if any of your guests have actually appreciated this act of unnecessary cruelty as aesthetic. Pls stop this unnecessary cruelty."