Rocky and Mayur talk about their friendship, their love for food and the highway

They grew up in the same neighbourhood in Delhi, had the same friends’ gang, and worked together in the same jobs in the corporate world
Rocky and Mayur
Rocky and Mayur

Whether on screen or off screen, hosts, foodies and travellers Rocky Singh and Mayur Sharma are more like brothers. 

They grew up in the same neighbourhood in Delhi, had the same friends’ gang, and worked together in the same jobs in the corporate world. So when popular faces Rocky Singh and Mayur Sharma decided to co-host popular series, Highway On My Plate, it just seemed like a natural progression. Rocky and Mayur, who are now back on the small screen with their new show titled Road Trippin  with RnM in which they will explore different cuisines in the bylanes of various cities, will be in Bengaluru shortly. 

On a relaxed Thursday afternoon, when we catch up with the duo, Rocky, the more talkative of the two, tells us that they moved to Delhi two years  apart – Rocky in 1974 as a five-year-old and Mayur in 1976 as a four-year-old. While Mayur tried to fit into the friends’ gang, it was Rocky who welcomed him with open arms. Together, they’ve seen several highs and lows in the last 45 years and have stuck together come hell or high water. In fact, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that the two are more like brothers, as we discover during our hour-long chat.

“Whether it was going on our first dates, drinking beer or spending night outs, we’ve seen each other through some big moments. Mayur is more than a brother to me,” says the 51-year-old, whose first job was with a prominent airline carrier. Before making a foray to the television screens in 2007, Rocky and Mayur worked together as corporate trainers and consultants in the mid 2000s.

As travellers, they spend over 200 days in a year covering the length and breadth of the country, introducing the viewers to a diverse set of Indian cuisines. “We have spent more time with ourselves than with our respective wives,” jokes Mayur. But what keeps their friendship ticking? “Trust. That’s how we’ve worked together for this long. We have each other’s backs during hard times,” adds Mayur. At the same time, when it comes to handling creative differences, they recognise when to stick to their guns and when to give up for each other. “A partnership works best when you always think of how you give 51 per cent to the other,” says the 48-year-old. 

Although they’ve extensively travelled across the country, the duo ensures to squeeze in family time. “Travelling is our passion and lifestyle. We travel for 15 days a month and the rest of the time we spent quality time with family. I take my son four times a year to different terrains for bird photography. And I take my daughter thrice a year for scuba diving,” says Rocky. On the other hand, Mayur spares time to work on his new-found interest, practising mixed martial arts. 

Despite making footprints across the length and breadth of India, Bengaluru remains very close to their hearts. “My memories are linked with the music, draught beer and lakes. Besides, walking by the flower market and relishing Vidyarthi Bhavan dosae was bliss. We also have our oldest fan in Bengaluru and he is over 90 years,” says Mayur. For Rocky, it’s the pub culture and the vast cuisine that excites him the most.“My favourite food city is always Bangalore. I have pub-hopped on the streets of Brigade Road and Church Street. Khandani Rajdhani, Karavalli,  MTR are some of my favourites,” says Rocky.

Rocky Singh 
Favourite travel spot in India: Ladakh
Bengaluru hangouts: Koshy’s and 13th Floor
Favourite cuisine(s):  Nadan food (Kerala) 

Mayur Sharma
Favourite travel spot in India: Goa  
Bengaluru hangouts: Brahmins’ Coffee Bar 
Favourite cuisine(s): Amritsari, Kathiyawadi and Odia

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