‘No Talent Involved’: How Bad TikToks Boosted a Curry House

The tables were filling up at Urban Tandoor, a British curry house wholesome enough for a family meal and elegant enough for a low-key first date. Painted flowers twist up its entrance and lights adorn the colorful walls inside, a homage to Bristol’s artistic reputation. The local haunt in southwest England promises an array of crowd-pleasers, from jalfrezi to moilee.

But it wasn’t only the food that had brought diners to Urban Tandoor on a recent evening.

“Their TikToks,” said Jake Smith, 22, who was celebrating his birthday. “I think they’re hilarious.”

Staff members at this local institution have charmed an audience online with their versions of pop songs, anthems and trends. By most judges of talent, the covers are, well, bad.

There is “Bhaji Girl,” in which two employees wear blond wigs à la Barbie and Ken and sing about chutney. There’s a “Grease”-inspired “You’re the Naan That I Want,” featuring the group in leather and lipstick. In “Mr. Riceside,” the popular Killers anthem becomes a tale of a diner whose eyes are bigger than his stomach.

You might, kindly, describe the dancing as “fervent.”

The singing, reminiscent of a bevy of uncles at a karaoke night, is possibly worse. But production value is beside the point. And their “so-bad-it’s-good” marketing campaign is working, said Sujith D’almeida, the restaurant’s owner.