With the growing cultural power of experiential brand storytelling in India, Grameen Kulfi, the new-age kulfi brand from Walko Food Company, has been onboard as the first Co-Powered Sponsor for Zakir Khan’s Papa Yaar India Tour, produced and promoted by TribeVibe Entertainment. The year-long stand-up comedy tour will span from July 2025 to June 2026, with 50+ shows across 30+ cities across the country.
At its heart, the collaboration brings together two experiences that people connect with emotionally, Zakir Khan’s storytelling, rooted in relatable everyday Indian moments and Grameen Kulfi, a brand built around comfort, familiarity and the sweet nostalgia of a beloved “desi treat”.
Zakir Khan’s Papa Yaar is a deeply personal and widely relatable comedy special that celebrates fatherhood and everyday Indian emotions with Zakir’s signature warmth and storytelling. For Grameen Kulfi, the association reflects a larger brand vision, to be part of cultural moments that bring people together, evoke emotion and create shared memories.
From fun social media content and on-ground vox pop interactions across cities to backstage conversations with Zakir Khan and exclusive fan moments, the partnership has been designed to go beyond just sponsorship and become part of the overall Papa Yaar journey.
Commenting on the collaboration, Mr. Jeetendra Bhandari, Founder, Walko Food Company, said, “Grameen Kulfi has always been about honoring India’s original ice cream & building it as a category. Zakir Khan resonates deeply not only with the brand’s name and product positioning, but also with its spirit as a true son of the soil — someone rooted in his land, culture and people, yet celebrated nationally & internationally. Partnering with Zakir Khan’s Papa Yaar for an entire year felt like a true extension of that vision. We see this as a cultural partnership, where a new-age Indian kulfi brand becomes part of stories unfolding across cities and audiences nationwide.”
Zakir Khan added, “Comedy has always been about connection, about finding pieces of ourselves in stories. When a brand understands that emotion and chooses to back an entire journey like Papa Yaar, it becomes more than just sponsorship. There’s something very warm and familiar about Grameen Kulfi as a brand, and that made this association feel like a perfect fit for a tour that is so personal and rooted in shared Indian experiences.”
Speaking about the collaboration, Shoven Shah, Founder & CEO, TribeVibe Entertainment said, “For TribeVibe, live entertainment today presents brands with the opportunity to participate in culture, not just advertise around it. The Grameen Kulfi x Zakir Khan collaboration is a strong example of how TribeVibe enables brands to meaningfully align with content, emotion and audience experiences in an authentic, long-term manner. A year-long association across 50+ shows allows the brand to build a sustained and credible presence within a cultural journey that audiences are actively engaged with and emotionally invested in.”
