Samosas remind me of home, childhood & simple joys: Sai Ronak

Some people count calories, others count samosas. Sai Ronak proudly belongs to the second category. “Because really, what’s better than a hot, crispy samosa? It’s not just food — it’s nostalgia, craving, and celebration rolled into one triangle,” explains the Laggam actor. On World Samosa Day, the Hyderabadi actor opens up about why every bite feels like a slice of childhood that has stayed with him. The actor, admits he just can’t stop at one or even two. “Even now when I am shooting, I make sure I wait till the last day of the schedule. On that day, along with my makeup, hair and assistant team, I eat around six to eight samosas. One or two cannot justify my craving for samosa,” he laughs.‘My dad tried to keep us away from outside food, but the moment I bit into a samosa, it was love at first bite’Talking about his first experience with the snack, Ronak says it was love at first bite. “My dad tried his best to keep us away from outside food. For the longest time, he would bluff us, saying roadside vendors didn’t even have kitchens like us.” That illusion broke when a relative once slipped him some money. “Along with my cousins, we headed straight to Shyam Singh Chat Bhandar in Begum Bazar. That was the first time I bought a samosa, along with a raj kachori. I must have been in Class 6 or 7,” he recalls.‘Onion samosas at Sri Ramana Theatre are unforgettable’Many of his fondest samosa memories are tied to friends. Hanging out after school, pooling coins together, or sneaking extra during movie interval... these were the moments that made samosas more than just snacks. “There was this man Mehbu bhai, as we neighbourhood kids fondly called him, who sold samosas and ice golas for 50 paise. He is no more now, but his samosas are a high school memory,” he says adding, “I used to go to Sree Ramana Theatre to watch movies with friends and would love the onion samosas there. They were small, crispy and addictive.”While samosas come with all kinds of fillings these days, from corn to paneer even peri peri, his favourite is clear. “If you are someone who started eating aloo samosa, that is the real samosa,” he declares.‘Chai and samosa are a match made in heaven’And when it comes to pairing, chai always wins. “With samosas, I always prefer chai. Coffee just doesn’t go with it. I stay in Banjara Hills now, but even today I make it a point to enjoy chai with samosas with friends whenever we can. On cheat days, I don’t hold back; I eat enough samosas to truly satisfy my craving.”