Starbucks spills the tea on viral meme, denies collaboration with Dolly Chaiwala: 'No official brand ambassador in India'
Tata Starbucks on Monday, June 16, issued an official statement denying widespread rumours and ongoing speculations on social media suggesting the appointment of Dolly Chaiwala (real name is Sunil Patil), who is a popular tea vendor and internet sensation.
Amid the growing rumours, the company issued a statement saying that there is no such partnership that exists, as per the narrative that emerged from a viral meme that has been misinterpreted as a formal endorsement.
The confusion appears to have stemmed from a viral meme created by a third party that led to a 'misconstrued formal campaign'.
Dolly Chaiwala became the brand ambassador of Starbucks India pic.twitter.com/YjN3G2wNWW — Dixit Dave (@dixit_dave_) April 1, 2025
Starbucks denied any collaboration with Dolly Chaiwala
Starbucks, in a public statement, denied any collaboration with Sunil Patel, popularly known as Dolly Chaiwala. In the post, the company wrote, "We have noted recent social media posts suggesting that TATA Starbucks has appointed an official brand ambassador. We would like to clarify that TATA Starbucks does not have any official brand ambassadors in India. Specifically, we have not entered into any collaboration with Dolly Chaiwala."
Credit: LinkedIn
The clarification comes in the wake of rumoured social media memes and digital articles claiming that Dolly Chaiwala, whose real name is Sunit Patil, had been officially appointed by the famous coffee brand.
What really happened?
According to the company, the claims regarding Dolly Chaiwala being the brand ambassador of TATA Starbucks India surfaced on social media from an April Fool's Day prank. The post was posted by an influencer called Aditya Oza.
The post used a photoshopped picture of Dolly Chaiwala, and as soon as the fictional narrative dropped on the internet, it quickly went viral and instantly became a part of meme pages. However, many on social media pointed out that the image is fake.
But now clarifying this, the company said, 'Tata Starbucks is committed to communicating with accuracy and authenticity, and we value the trust of our customers and communities."
Who is Dolly Chaiwala?
Sunil Patil, also famously known as Dolly Chaiwala, is a tea seller from Nagpur who gained massive fame and became an internet sensation when his flamboyant tea-making style went viral after serving it to an American businessman and philanthropist, Bill Gates.
Most recently, Patil also appeared on Indian reality shows, including Bigg Boss 18.
To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
11 minutes ago
- Mint
Actor Al Pacino meets Pope Leo XIV
New Delhi [India], June 17 (ANI): Oscar winner Al Pacino met with Pope Leo XIV on Monday at the meeting has been reportedly marked as the first official audience between the first American Pope and a movie star, as per Variety Al Pacino was joined by the team of his upcoming film 'Maserati: The Brothers' for the meeting with Pope Leo XIV. The film is directed by Robert Moresco and produced by Andrea Iervolino. "We are honored to announce that this morning His Holiness Pope Leo XIV received in a private audience at the Holy See a delegation from the film 'Maserati: The Brothers,' including Oscar winner actor Al Pacino and the film's producer Andrea Iervolino," Iervolino said in a statement as quoted by Variety. The producer shared the details of their meeting with American Pope and wrote that it was centred around "shared values" of the Catholic Church and the film 'Maserati: The Brothers'. He wrote, "The meeting was a moment of profound spiritual and cultural inspiration, centered around shared values that lie at the heart of both the Catholic Church and the film: family unity, love, compassion and the importance of contributing to the common good," as quoted in the report of Variety. Lervolino continued, "These values, which Pope Leo XIV has consistently emphasized in his recent messages to the world, resonate deeply with the story of the Maserati brothers: a family whose legacy was built not only on innovation and excellence but on profound mutual respect, solidarity and a shared vision," as quoted in Variety. Pacino, according to Italian press reports, arrived in Rome by private jet from New York on Sunday. According to Variety, Pacino joined the cast of the Bobby Moresco-directed 'Maserati: The Brothers' in May. He plays the role of Vincenzo Vaccaro, a businessman who invested in the company's early days. The film is being shot in Italy. The movie also stars Michele Morrone, Salvatore Esposito, Lorenzo De Moor, Anthony Hopkins, Andy Garcia and Jessica Alba in the prominent roles. (ANI)
Hindustan Times
13 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Kantara Chapter 1 boat mishap, The Indian House flooding spark safety concerns on film sets
On Sunday, during the shoot of Kantara Chapter 1, a boat carrying 30 crew members, capsized in the Mani reservoir at the Masti Katte area of Karnataka's Shivamogga district. On June 13, helium balloons caught fire on the sets of Harshvardhan Rane and Sonam Bajwa's upcoming film. A day before that, a water tank burst and flooded the sets of Nikhil Siddhartha starrer The Indian House, produced by Ram Charan's production house. These incidents have raised questions about safety measures on Indian film sets. When we reached out to Suresh Shyamlal Gupta, President, All Indian Cine Workers Association, to speak about the incidents, he highlighted the issues faced by the cast and crew working on sets including the lack of safety measures. He tells us, 'The state of affairs on sets of our films is very poor. A safety officer from BMC or Nagarpalika should be visiting the sets to conduct an inspection but it doesn't happen. Additionally, there's supposed to be at least 20 fire extinguishers on sets but if you go and see there are only 5 or six for the heck of it. There should be two exits on every film set in case of an emergency but right now sets have only one way to enter and exit.' Also Read | Water tank bursts on set of Ram Charan's The India House causing major flooding, crew members injured Suresh further reveals that since 2021, 'producers, production houses, and channels have stopped union members from coming to film sets' allegedly to prevent them from raising these safety concerns. 'There are wires all over the sets. Anything can happen on sets with so many open wires but there is no precaution taken. Are they waiting for accidents to happen?' he says, emphasising, 'Every artist deserves safety.' Jai Shankar Singh, a camera attendant, further sheds light on the challenges faced during film productions, ranging from poor food quality to neglected electrical equipment. He also points out the severe health issues crew members endure due to unhygienic conditions and stressful working conditions. Jai explains, 'Big production houses often don't hire action directors for big scenes being shot because it means paying more per day. Heavy equipment isn't properly maintained, cables aren't serviced. There is no time to eat food or take breaks and it affects our health. We often have to shoot for 16-18 hours straight. There are no provisions for rain, like umbrellas or raincoats. The food quality is poor, and people fall ill all the time. No one conducts inspections on film sets; everything is ram bharose. We get only 2-3 hours of sleep, and as a result, many of us are facing serious health issues.' However, filmmakers and producers claim they do their best to avoid any mishap on the sets. Abhishek Agarwal, co-producer of The Indian House, says, 'We always ensure the safety of people on sets. Even in this case, we had made preparations of this is scene and installed water tank days before the shoot. Sometimes there are few things which are not in our hands but we ensure that we always have an ambulance, a doctor on call ready.'
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
14 minutes ago
- First Post
Diljit Dosanjh and Ahan Shetty join Sunny Deol and Varun Dhawan for Border 2 at the iconic National Defence Academy in Pune
Border 2 promises to be an epic tale of patriotism and passion, showcasing the unwavering spirit of our armed forces. With its stellar cast and dedicated crew, the film is poised to deliver a monumental cinematic experience. read more The third schedule of the highly anticipated film Border 2 has commenced at the iconic National Defence Academy, Pune. Diljit Dosanjh and Ahan Shetty have joined Sunny Deol and Varun Dhawan as the cast comes together to portray a grand chapter of valour and unity. The production team — led by Producer Bhushan Kumar, Nidhi Dutta, Director Anurag Singh, Co-producer Shiv Chanana, and Binoy Gandhi — is working tirelessly to bring this saga of courage and brotherhood to life. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD When all 'Forces' Come together! #BORDER2 🇮🇳, Diljit Dosanjh & Ahan Shetty join Sunny Deol and Varun Dhawan as the battalion kicks off the 3rd schedule at Pune's National Defence Academy! On-ground, they're joined by Producers Bhushan Kumar & Nidhi Dutta, Director Anurag Singh,… — T-Series (@TSeries) June 17, 2025 Border 2 promises to be an epic tale of patriotism and passion, showcasing the unwavering spirit of our armed forces. With its stellar cast and dedicated crew, the film is poised to deliver a monumental cinematic experience. Backed by a powerful production team including Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, J.P. Dutta, and Nidhi Dutta, and directed by Anurag Singh, Border 2 is presented by Gulshan Kumar & T-Series, in association with J.P. Dutta's J.P. Films. This sequel continues the legacy of honouring the heroism and indomitable spirit of Indian soldiers, taking audiences on a spectacular journey of patriotism, courage, and sacrifice. Gear up for this monumental saga of patriotism and courage, as Border 2 storms into cinemas on January 23, 2026. Stay tuned as the Border2 team continues to march forward, bringing this epic story to life!
