Aamir Khan reveals 'Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola' was Ashutosh Gowariker's brainchild

There are few advertising campaigns that manage to etch themselves into a generation’s collective memory—and Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola was one of them. For many Indians growing up in the early 2000s, it wasn’t just a line; it was a feeling. Aamir Khan’s colourful avatars—a tapori, a Nepali watchman, a Bengali babu—delivered more than just laughs. They aimed to deliver a message that would redefine how India spoke about soft drinks.

But behind the nostalgia lies a lesser-known twist.

While the campaign has long been credited to Prasoon Joshi, the then national creative diirector of McCann Erickson India, fondly known as the “Jingle Man of India”, Aamir Khan recently shared a surprising detail during a conversation with The Lallantop—as part of promotions for his latest release Sitare Zameen Par.

In the interview, he revealed that the iconic line “Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola” was actually the idea of Ashutosh Gowariker, who also directed the original ad film. Gowariker, also known for penning lyrics for Taare Zameen Par, was instrumental in shaping the campaign that became a landmark in Indian advertising.

Coca-Cola’s own story in India began in 1950, only to be interrupted in the late ’70s due to regulatory challenges. The brand made its comeback in 1993, and by the early 2000s, was vying for relevance in a market brimming with youth culture and new media.
Initially endorsed by Aishwarya Rai and Hrithik Roshan, Coca-Cola shifted its strategy around 2000, the same year India began to explore the early web. The brand brought on Aamir Khan, who, like Rai, had also briefly appeared in Pepsi campaigns before. But it was in 2002 that Khan debuted in the now-famous role, asking: "Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola."

The campaign wasn’t just smart—it was deeply rooted in insight. Prasoon Joshi, who had just moved from Ogilvy to McCann that year, observed how the word thanda (meaning “cold”) was used generically across India to refer to soft drinks. With the aim of owning that word, Coca-Cola introduced the Rs 5 “chota bottle”, specifically targeting rural and small-town India.

Khan’s portrayal of various regional characters—each interpreting thanda in their own way—became the soul of the campaign. Over time, the campaign expanded into a series of eight major ads, each one building on the idea that no matter who you are or where you're from, thanda simply means Coca-Cola.

And Khan’s recent revelation gives it a new dimension, crediting Ashutosh Gowariker for the original idea while also acknowledging the collaborative brilliance of Joshi and the McCann team.

More than two decades later, Khan still serves as Coca-Cola’s brand ambassador. Most recently, he appeared in a campaign for Charged alongside actor Darshan Safari, proving that some partnerships—and punchlines—truly stand the test of time.