Deepinder Goyal shares Zomato ad starring Shah Rukh Khan, Jasprit Bumrah, AR Rahman: ‘This isn’t an ad…'
Zomato has pulled off its biggest coup till date by bringing Shah Rukh Khan, AR Rahman, Jasprit Bumrah and Mary Kom together for an advertisement.
Zomato has pulled off its biggest coup till date by bringing Shah Rukh Khan, AR Rahman, Jasprit Bumrah and Mary Kom together for an advertisement. The video, shared by Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal this morning, offers a reflection on the “secret sauce” that fuels success.

Zomato ad with SRK, AR Rahman
The video opens with a shot of cricketer Jasprit Bumrah, before showing Shah Rukh Khan seated on a throne. Next came boxer Mary Kom and music maestro AR Rahman. Each person featured in the ad is a legend in their own field, and the narrator wonders what fuels their greatness.
Interspersed within the video montage are snippets from old interviews, matches and concerts, showing moments of triumph and tears.
“What’s their secret ingredient? The secret sauce to greatness? What do they know that others don’t?” asks the narrator.
“They know the taste of sweat. The salt of tears. They wake up when it’s dark, show up when it’s hard. They know what it takes. Retakes. Mistakes,” he says before answering his own question about what fuels greatness.
“Truth is, they are just like you and me. There is no secret recipe. They just want it more.”
These words appear on the screen as inspirational music plays in the background. The advert ends with a closing sentence from Zomato: “The secret ingredient is hustle. Fuel your hustle. Zomato.”
Deepinder Goyal on ad featuring SRK
Sharing the ad on X, Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal said the advertisement is trying to celebrate the fire that fueled stardom rather than the celebrities themselves.
“This isn't an ad. It’s a belief in effort over everything else,” wrote Goyal.
“Every day, millions of Indians tap ‘Place Order’ on Zomato in between their routines, responsibilities and dreams. Some are building startups. Some are raising kids. Some are taking a break.
“Different stories, one thing in common: Consistent effort.
“We’re not here to celebrate the stars, but the fire that built them. The fire each one of us carries inside — while food is just the fuel.
“To everyone chasing something they care deeply about and showing up for it — we're glad to be a small part of your journey,” said the CEO of Zomato.
Internet reacts to viral Zomato ad
Within half an hour of being posted online, the ad has already garnered over 20,000 views on X, where many praised its concept.
“What a banger! Finally someone pivots to Nike mode,” wrote one person, referring to Nike's famous campaigns that combine powerful storytelling with themes like grit and perseverance.
“Beautifully said. Effort fuels dreams - every single day,” another said.
“With due respect casting these bigger stars won't do any justice to the business of Zomato, rather go for someone who can promote healthy eating and making people aware about healthy and clean eating maybe this will work a lot better for the brand of Zomato,” one viewer suggested.
ABOUT THE AUTHORSanya JainSanya Jain is an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times Digital. She has nearly a decade of experience in covering offbeat stories that speak to the everyday experience - from viral videos to human interest copies that spark conversation. Her interests stretch across business, pop culture, social media trends, entertainment and global affairs. Before joining Hindustan Times, Sanya spent two years with Moneycontrol and five years with NDTV. She holds an undergraduate degree in English literature from St Stephen’s College, Delhi, and a master’s in journalism from the Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai. Sanya has a sharp eye for spotting emerging trends and looking for newsworthy angles to elevate viral posts into meaningful narratives. She was the first one, for example, to cover Narayana Murthy’s remark on 70-hour work weeks that sparked a national conversation. She is equally at ease writing about business leaders as about the common man, about issues of national importance and memes that amuse social media. Sanya enjoys speaking with content creators, newsmakers and entrepreneurs to transform everyday moments into engaging, slice-of-life stories that resonate with readers. When she is not working, Sanya can be found curled up with a good book. Born and raised in Lucknow, she has spent the last several years in Delhi. She is deeply interested in animal welfare and now spends a lot of her time running after her destructive orange cat.Read More

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