My remark 'karma will bite you in the a**' was taken out of context: restaurateur Nico Goghavala

If you believed that those in the food and music business are the happiest bunch, think again. Last week, newspaper reports revealed that Nico Goghavala, owner of South Mumbai resto-bar Nico Bombay, had not paid DJs who had performed at his restaurant.

In addition, the report likened him to Rahul Yadav, the unconventional CEO of Housing. com, for a strongly-worded mail that Goghavala sent to a DJ who asked for his dues. In an exclusive chat with ETPanache, the restaurant owner, who is married to ex-VJ and beauty queen Kamal Sidhu, says it was all just a "big misunderstanding."

Is it true that you have not paid musicians who performed at Nico Bombay?

No, this is not true. While payments have been delayed, all dues have or will be cleared. The business is a rollercoaster, so on the highs, we manage to clear up most of our dues.

What is your side of the story?

I cancelled a gig and, unfortunately, the artiste took to the media to defame me. It appears more like a personal vendetta. There is nothing that can't be sorted with an amicable discussion but because I am a known name, it is easier to defame me. This is a one-off incident. I want to put this misunderstanding behind me and focus on positive things.

Did the concerned DJ contact you before going public with the story?

Yes. I then travelled shortly after and was unavailable. That's what created this unfortunate misunderstanding. It's been cleared up now. It comes down to personalities. Some people are measured when dealing with situations, others are rash and don't think of the consequences. In life, you meet both.

You've been compared to housing.com CEO Rahul Yadav because of your email.

I don't know too much about him, but it takes two to tango. Things, especially on social media, can get misconstrued.

Apparently you replied via email that "karma will bite you in the a**"?

Yes, I said that, but it was taken out of context. My email said that we should end things amicably as I said I have learnt from experience that karma can bite you in the a**. I was referring to my own experiences. It was not a threat to anyone whatsoever.

Will you continue to have musicians play at your venue?

I would love too. There are few things I am truly passionate about; food and drink tops that list. I will never let a group of haters take away my love for music. I have close relationships with several musicians and the show will go on, one way or another.