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Pepsi signs Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda for new youth campaign
Gen Z actors tease campaign with playful ‘Pepsi Vanity Trailer’ reveal.
MUMBAI: When the teaser promised the “biggest trailer yet”, the internet expected a movie drop. Instead, it got a fridge full of cola. Pepsi has brought Gen Z actors Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda into the Pepsi family, signalling the start of a new youth focused campaign from Pepsico India. The duo will headline the brand’s upcoming campaign, which kicked off with a social media teaser that quickly turned into a playful pop culture moment.
Ahead of the official reveal, the two actors sparked curiosity online by hinting at their “biggest trailer yet”. The twist, however, was a clever bait and switch, instead of a film preview, the reveal showcased a fully decked out Pepsi Vanity Trailer, turning the idea of a “trailer” into a literal pop culture hangout space.
The branded trailer, styled with industrial inspired interiors, signature Pepsi visuals and a fully stocked Pepsi refrigerator, was designed as a youth friendly social space blending fandom, lifestyle and the brand’s playful attitude.
Pepsi has historically positioned itself at the centre of youth culture in India, frequently collaborating with emerging talents who resonate with younger audiences. By onboarding Panday and Padda, the brand is leaning into a generation that consumes and shapes pop culture in real time through social media and digital platforms.
Pepsico India Brand Lead for Pepsi Cola Mohak Bhatia said the announcement was intentionally designed to cut through the clutter of traditional brand partnerships. “Pepsi has always partnered with gen next talent who shape youth culture rather than simply reflect it. With two of the biggest Bollywood debuts of 2025, we didn’t want a routine announcement. Flipping the idea of the ‘biggest trailer yet’ felt like a fresh way to shake up social feeds,” he said.
For Panday, the association marks a personal milestone as he begins his journey in mainstream cinema. “Pepsi has always been the heartbeat of cool in India. Being associated with the brand at this stage of my journey feels incredibly special,” he said.
Padda echoed the sentiment, describing the campaign as a natural fit. “Pepsi embodies that fearless confidence I live for. The campaign feels playful, spontaneous and full of energy,” she said.
The collaboration reflects Pepsi’s continued focus on aligning with emerging youth icons and tapping into the evolving dynamics of pop culture conversations in India.
MUMBAI: From Ayurvedic oils to American aisles, Indian beauty is having a global glow up. Beauty brand Indē wild has officially entered the United States market through a retail partnership with global beauty retailer Sephora, marking a significant milestone for the Indian founded brand as it expands into one of the world’s most competitive beauty markets.
The brand debuted on Sephora’s US website on March 3, 2026 and will roll out across 178 select Sephora stores across the United States starting March 13, 2026. The move positions Indē wild as one of the first homegrown Indian beauty brands conceptualised and scaled in India to enter Sephora’s US retail ecosystem.
Founded by entrepreneur and influencer Diipa Büller-Khosla, the brand is built around the philosophy of “Ayurvedistry”, a concept that blends traditional Ayurvedic ingredients with modern cosmetic science.
The US launch will introduce a curated range of skincare and haircare products inspired by Indian beauty rituals. These include the Champi Pre Wash Treatment Hair Oil, Champi Bond Repair Shampoo and Conditioner, Moonlight Scalp Serum, Sunset Restore Bakuchiol Serum, Sunrise Glow 15 percent Vitamin C Complex Serum, Luminary Eye Concentrate and the Dewy Lip Treatment.
While Sephora has previously featured South Asian inspired beauty brands such as Kulfi Beauty, Ranavat and Fable and Mane, indē wild’s entry marks a milestone as one of the first brands rooted directly in traditional Indian beauty rituals and formulations to debut within Sephora’s US retail network.
The expansion also comes amid growing international interest in Ayurvedic beauty. Industry estimates project the global Ayurvedic cosmetics market to grow from 1.83 billion dollars in 2025 to 2.09 billion dollars by the end of 2026, representing a 14.5 percent compound annual growth rate.
“Sephora US marks a defining chapter in indē wild’s evolution from a digitally native community to a global prestige beauty brand,” said Büller-Khosla. “From day one we believed Ayurvedic wisdom and clinical science could coexist in a way that feels both elevated and accessible.”
The US debut builds on the brand’s earlier retail expansion into United Kingdom, where Indē wild launched in Sephora UK in September 2024 and recorded a 677 percent quarter on quarter growth.
Investors are also betting on the brand’s cross market potential. Unilever Ventures partner Rachel Harris noted that the United States and India remain two of the most influential beauty markets globally.
Since launching direct to consumer in 2021, indē wild has built a growing international customer base and reached approximately 12 million dollars in annual recurring revenue in 2025. The company has also secured a 5 million dollar investment led by Unilever Ventures, alongside Sogal Ventures and True Global Ventures, to strengthen its global expansion.
With the Sephora US rollout underway, the brand expects global annual recurring revenue to reach around 20 million dollars by the end of 2026, signalling the increasing global momentum of modern Indian beauty brands.
