Social media collaborations are often the story arcs for ‘multiverses’ as netizens popularly believe. The ‘shocking’ Ranveer Singh and Johnny Sins collaboration showed that there was so much the marketing bingo card of 2024 still had in store. The recent collaboration between Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Nagpur-based tea seller “Dolly Chaiwala,” went viral on Instagram, with the audience, including brands like Swiggy interacting with the post.
On Wednesday, Gates shared a video on Instagram with "Dolly Chaiwala", and praised India's innovation culture. The video was shot in Hyderabad.
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Nagpur resident Sunil Patil, popularly known as 'Dolly Chaiwala', said he did not recognise the billionaire businessman initially and came to know who he was only after their meeting took the Internet by storm
"In India, you can find innovation everywhere you turn, even in preparation of a simple cup of tea," Gates said in the post along with the video.
In the video, Gates was seen asking for a one cup of chai from Dolly Chaiwala. The clip then featured the tea seller preparing the beverage in his signature style while Gates looked engrossed. The billionaire then sipped on tea in a cutting glass and posed with Dolly Chaiwala as well. "Looking forward to many chai pe charcha," the text in the video read.
Since being shared online, the clip has clocked in over 13 million views. Social media users, especially Indians, were pleasantly surprised and delighted and called it an "unexpected collaboration.
The video has been garnering a lot of comments with one user wondering if its AI generated.
"Marvel has the best crossover, meanwhile Dolly Chaiwala," another user wrote. Another user commented, "Every Indian shocked after watching this video.
"Unexpected collab," a third user remarked. "What? What in the multiverse is this?" said another user.
Patil informed he was not aware that he was being taken to Hyderabad for a shoot with the American entrepreneur.
“It was shot three days ago. His team contacted me and flew me to Hyderabad for the project. Earlier, I was not aware about him (Bill Gates) and only got to know about how famous he is, a day after the video went viral. I am feeling very happy," he told PTI.
"Only the next day when I returned to Nagpur (from Hyderabad) that I realised to whom I had served the tea," he added, remarking that Gates liked the aromatic beverage prepared by him.
Dolly Chaiwalla's roadside tea stall is located near the old VCA stadium in the city's Sadar area. He also expressed his wish to one day serve tea to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Bill Gates also met Modi here and said they discussed AI for public good, women-led development and innovation in agriculture and health.
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