Brad Pitt eats butter chicken and garlic naan

Wellington: New Zealand is sizzling with the possibility that a mystery visitor to Wellington’s film centre could be none other than sexy Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt.

Unconfirmed sightings of the international jetsetter - and one half of Hollywood power couple ‘Brangelina’ - have been reported in New Zealand’s capital, where Pitt allegedly sat down to a quiet dinner in an Indian restaurant in suburban Miramar.

Staff at Tulsi - a local restaurant chain serving contemporary Indian cuisine - told local newspapers that Brad had dinner at about 6.30 pm, sat in a corner booth and ordered chicken korma, butter chicken and garlic naan.

Tulsi is just a few kilometres away from Park Road post production facilities in Miramar, and round the corner from Sir Peter Jackson’s Weta Workshop.

Restaurant manager Makesh Bartwal said staff could not be entirely certain it was definitely Pitt, because of the dim mood lighting. The mystery diner was reportedly trying to keep things low key by wearing nondescript clothing and a cap.

Most of Tulsi’s Indian staff are more likely to get excited over big Bollywood stars, said Bartwal. "There are so many celebrities that come and we hardly know them because we are not very fond of Hollywood movies," he said.

A spokesperson for Positively Wellington Tourism said it seemed "highly likely" that Pitt would choose to visit Wellington. "We have so many celebs through that it's hard to keep track of them all. Hollywood...Wellywood, not much difference there."

Internet websites and Twitter have been running rife with speculation about why Brad Pitt may have visited the 'Land of the Long White Cloud'.

Some speculate that Pitt could be here to discuss a possible movie venture with acclaimed Kiwi filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson.

Others claim that he’s on sabbatical, temporarily swapping Angelina and his six kids for New Zealand’s laid-back lifestyle and low-key attitude towards celebrities, as seen during the filming of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Pitt is due to next star in a film adaptation of the Max Brooks’ post-apocalyptic zombie novel World War Z.