Updated June 24th, 2024 to clarify Dastoor rebranding

For many of us, the holidays are a time to reconnect with family and share stories of the last year, and few things have been a richer source of stories this year than the sordid deeds of the Royal India (Now Dastoor) owners and our campaign for justice.

The tale has a great hook – people are amazed to learn that the Bhattis have robbed more than 20 workers, and often shocked that they got away with it time and again. As listeners lean in, we take them on a long journey. It becomes a detective story as we delve into the Bhattis’ track record and uncover new dirt – the filthy kitchen lawsuit, the illegal evictions, the nannies the family robbed and abused, the 8 models they hired for a photo shoot and then didn’t pay. It detours into comedy as we describe the impotently angry face of Aeisha Bhatti this spring when she tried to suppress our protest and ended up arguing with the police outside the door of her restaurant for the better part of an hour (side note: this tactic has still not worked and the face remains the same!) It touches on social issues – immigration, race, class, caste, gender, pandemic politics (did you know they got a PPP loan, while committing wage theft?) It veers into the absurd this summer when Mr. Bhatti Sr. tells one picketer handing out leaflets to “put it in your ass”, and tells another picketer at a different action he will “eat your pussy”. It teases unexplored side quests as we learn how the Bhattis have conned customers at their wedding planning business, Marigold Design House. It marks the passing of the seasons, the slow burn of their Google rating declining over months while we surprise the Bhattis during summer festivals, Halloween, and on Thanksgiving day. And it keeps the listener guessing – what tactic will we try next? We have lots to choose from.

Unfortunately for the Bhattis, this story isn’t over yet. We’re still driving away customers, spreading their bad reputation to the world, and costing them thousands of dollars. All because they refuse to pay Juan and Pedro the $1,630 that they’re owed. Some bosses are smart and can do arithmetic, but the Bhattis are slow learners.