Matador food truck

Aremake of the national award winning Telugu movie, ‘Pelli Choopulu’, ‘Mitron’, a Hindi movie released in September 2018, has Jai (played by actor Jackky Bhagnani) dreaming of making it big in life. Set in the heartland of Gujarat — Ahmedabad, and inspired by Bengaluru-based couple Siddhanth Sawkar and Gautami Shankar who set up the ‘Spitfire BBQ’ food truck, the movie unfolds with Jai unaware that the biggest roadblock is his lazy approach towards life. To make Jai realise his folly, his father decides to get him married. He believes that this would make Jai get rid of his lazy approach towards life. The matchmaking ceremony gets Jai to meet Avni (played by debutant actor Kritika Kamraan), an ambitious MBA graduate with an entrepreneurial spirit. Learning of her business plan to start a food truck, Jai cajoles Avni to let him be a part. He promises her to work hard.

An automobile engineer, Jai modifies an old Matador van parked in the backyard of Avni’s house with the help of his two friends, Raunak and Deepu, into a food truck. He does this as Avni cites huge costs associated with hiring a mechanic. Painted in an attractive shade of blue and white, and with windows that are styled such that the van looks like the iconic Volkswagen Kombi, Jai drives the ‘Mitron’ food truck to deliver the first food order at a wedding. Jai sets a counter to serve the guests at the wedding by dropping the side windows and raising the roof. The food truck with a kitchen plays an important role in bringing Jai and Avni together, and presenting Jai a purpose in life.

Tracing its roots to the German Tempo Viking of 1962, the Matador was built initially under license from Vidal & Sohn by erstwhile Bajaj Tempo (now Force Motors). Over time it came to be powered by an in-line four-cylinder indirect injection Mercedes-Benz OM 616 diesel engine that produced 65 hp and 125.52 Nm of peak torque. A front-wheel-drive design except during the later phase when a rear-wheel range was made available, the Matador F307 was available in six versions (station wagon, minibus, ambulance, delivery van, utility van and dual cabin pick up truck). With the body bolted to a strong tubular frame consisting of cross members, the F307 was equipped with a ZF 4DS10/2 type four-speed gearbox. The front suspension was made up of laminated torsion bar springs and telescopic shock absorbers. The rear suspension was made up of leaf springs and telescopic shock absorbers. The full-forward control van has a 190 mm ground clearance.