Aamir Khan enjoys litti-chokha on April 25 and (right) Santosh Shaw at his stall near Patna zoo on Friday. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Getting Aamir Khan to advertise for their products is a dream for many businessmen. But for Santosh Shaw, the fantasy has come true without much effort.

A visit from the Bollywood superstar to his litti-chokha stall at Gate No. 1 of Patna zoo has proved to be a Midas touch. Ever since Aamir dropped in at the stall on April 25 this year and sampled litti-chokha, the number of its patrons has multiplied manifold.

“When Aamir saab visited my stall, I thought this shop would become famous. You can see the result for yourself,” Santosh told The Telegraph, pointing to the large number of customers at his stall.

A lucky few were able to find seats. Many had to savour the traditional Bihari dish standing. But no one seemed to mind.

“Sitting or standing is not a great concern for me. I want to experience the same thing as Aamir did. He also had the litti while standing,” said Pramod Sinha, a resident of Rajvanshi Nagar, while gulping down a mouthful.

Even those who get to sit only have the luxury of plastic chairs. The stall does not have a fan either. But that does not deter the customers. “I visit this place at least thrice a week. It is my favourite joint,” said Sinha.

The attraction for the superstar also draws people from far away. Ratnesh Kumar, who came from Danapur around 12km away, said: “A friend in my college told me about this place. I also read in the newspapers that Aamir Khan had litti-choka at this stall. I came here with my friend to enjoy the snacks. It’s not the litti — I came here because I wanted to get the feeling of being associated with Aamir Khan.”

Santosh is also making hay while the sun shines. The stall owner has put up three banners with pictures of Aamir having litti outside his stall. He has also increased the price by Rs 4 — earlier he used to sell four litti for Rs 20. Now you would have to shell out Rs 24 for the same.

“Earlier I used to sell around 1,500-2,000 litti in one day. Now, it has gone up to 3,000,” said the 40-year-old stall owner from Lalganj in Vaishali.