Ryan Reynolds finds the 'best Indian food in Europe' and he wants the world to know

Hollywood stars are discovering a new appreciation for Indian food while in the UK.

Tom Cruise raved about Asha's chicken tikka masala while filming the seventh Mission: Impossible in Birmingham last year. In June, Johnny Depp and his entourage booked out the 350-capacity Varanasi, also in Birmingham, and spent about £50,000 ($63,000).

Now, Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds says he's found his own hidden gem. The actor, who is currently in the UK to promote his coming Disney+ documentary, posted fliers from curry house Light of India on Instagram Stories over the weekend. He told his 44.8 million followers it serves the "best Indian food in Europe".

The restaurant in Cheshire, North-West England, said its phone has been "ringing off the hook" since Reynolds's stamp of approval.

“We’ve been so busy since. It’s amazing publicity for us. I want to try to get in touch with Ryan now to see if we can name a dish in honour of him — the Deadpool masala, perhaps," Shaa Rahaman, whose parents own the restaurant, told The Guardian.

“It’s crazy. To think he says we’re the best in Europe — Europe is a pretty big place. We’re glad he enjoyed his meal."

Rahaman couldn't confirm, however, whether Reynolds dined in the restaurant or ordered takeaway.

“The first we knew anything about it was when Ryan posted his review. We asked my parents if he had been in but they didn’t even know who he was. We showed them a picture and they couldn’t remember seeing him. So it may be that he or a member of his team ordered and collected a takeaway," Rahaman said.

On its Facebook page, Light of India, which is located in Ellesmere Port, describes itself as "one of the first Indian restaurants in the area, providing top quality food and service." It was established in 1980.

Reynolds was in Wrexham, Wales, over the weekend to see his team beat Maidstone United 5-0.

The Disney+ documentary, Welcome to Wrexham, charts how he and fellow American actor Rob McElhenney came to be the owners of a non-league Welsh football club Wrexham AFC.

Streaming from Thursday, it begins with the initial late-night conversation between the actors where the idea was formed, and fast forwards to them standing with the club's fans in the terraces cheering on the team they now co-own.

Wrexham AFC is the third-oldest team in the world and play in the English National League, the fifth tier of professional football.

Reynolds said he has fallen head over heels in love with the beautiful game — so much so that he schedules his life around Wrexham matches.

“I am so obsessed with this sport now that I actually hate this sport. Like, I wish it didn’t occupy my every thought,” he told the Associated Press.

Initially Reynolds and McElhenney, best known for his role in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, had very little experience and knowledge of football but, with a little bit of help from their friend David Beckham, they are now experts on the sport.

Reynolds said the former football star was the “nicest man in the world" who gave them both “a lot of tips that have been incredibly helpful".

He also said his wife, actress Blake Lively, is now a football fan, despite her initial worries about Reynolds's purchase.

“She’s obsessed with Wrexham, she may be more obsessed with Wrexham and its possible promotion than I am,” he said.

— Additional reporting by AP

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Company profile

Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space

Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)

Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)

Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)

Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space

Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019

UAE - India ties

The UAE is India’s third-largest trade partner after the US and China

Annual bilateral trade between India and the UAE has crossed US$ 60 billion

The UAE is the fourth-largest exporter of crude oil for India

Indians comprise the largest community with 3.3 million residents in the UAE

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi first visited the UAE in August 2015

His visit on August 23-24 will be the third in four years

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, visited India in February 2016

Sheikh Mohamed was the chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations in January 2017

Modi will visit Bahrain on August 24-25

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer