Cars24 casts CEO Vikram Chopra as King Vikram in new campaign
CE DESK 
Cars24 has launched a new campaign that casts its co-founder and CEO, Vikram Chopra, as King Vikram from the iconic Indian folklore of Vikram and Betaal. The campaign is created by Talented Agency in collaboration with Bang Bang Mediacorp. It uses the classic storytelling format to bring humour and familiarity to the often stressful experience of buying and selling cars. The central idea is simple: if the CEO’s name is Vikram, why not make him the wise King Vikram of the story?
The campaign features a 37-second film titled ‘Sawaal tough ho sakta hai. Jawab simple hai.’ In the film, Chopra is shown carrying Betaal through a stylised forest, just like in the original tale. Betaal has heard something difficult to believe. He asks: does Cars24 really allow a buyer to return a car within 30 days? This question becomes the hook for the story. The answer, of course, is yes. Cars24’s 30-day return policy is the “simple answer” to a “tough question”. The casting gag is hiding in plain sight: the man carrying Betaal happens to be Vikram. He also happens to run the company being interrogated.
This is a rare example of a founder appearing in a brand campaign in a way that feels organic rather than forced. Many CEO-led ads come across as compulsory addresses delivered after a branding workshop. The founder stares into the camera and recites purpose, disruption and customer obsession. Chopra’s appearance is different. He has accepted the role that mythology accidentally wrote for him. He is not selling himself. He is selling an idea: that buying a car can be simple, transparent and trustworthy. By playing King Vikram, he positions himself as the wise, reliable figure in the story. Betaal represents the doubting consumer. The 30-day return policy is the proof that resolves the doubt.
Vikram Chopra, CEO and protagonist of the campaign, said companies often become too grown-up too quickly. He noted that people forget that a brand can be playful and still be credible. He said the Vikram-Betaal story is deeply embedded in Indian culture. Everyone knows it. By reimagining it for the world of car buying, Cars24 is tapping into a shared memory. He said the campaign is meant to make people smile while also making them think. If the CEO is willing to play King Vikram, maybe the brand is not as serious and intimidating as it seems. This humanises the brand. It also makes the 30-day return policy more memorable.
Chopra, CEO and protagonist, Cars24, said: “Companies often become too grown-up too quickly. They begin to protect their image, their language and their leaders until every piece of work starts looking like it was approved by a committee. I did not want that for us. This was a sharp, strange, deeply Indian idea with a real truth at its heart, and saying yes was easy. We should make more things that make people pause, smile and think: only they could have done that.”
Ryan Mendonca, Director, Bang Bang Mediacorp, added: “Vikram and Betaal were some of the simpler interests of a 90s child like myself. Each story had a moral point, which I would soon forget, but the characters and aesthetics have stayed with me. Thankfully, this came in handy at a much riper age. We created two worlds. The kitschy jungle, complete with bad costuming and worse lighting, was the highlight for us. In this jungle, real-world physics were optional and crazy was the order of the day. These films were a trip for the whole crew. We’re grateful for the opportunity to put this out into the universe.”
The creative execution is deliberately playful. The film uses animation and stylised visuals to bring the Vikram-Betaal story to life. The tone is light, not preachy. The dialogue is simple, not jargon-heavy. The goal is to make the campaign feel like a story, not an ad. This is important for a category like used cars, where consumers are often bombarded with hard-sell messaging. By using folklore, Cars24 is also tapping into nostalgia. Many Indians grew up hearing Vikram-Betaal stories from grandparents, parents or school textbooks. This creates an instant connection. It also makes the brand feel more relatable and less corporate. The campaign runs across digital, social and television. It is supported by out-of-home and radio in key markets. Cars24 is also using the campaign to drive traffic to its website and app. The 30-day return policy is prominently featured in all creatives. The message is consistent: tough questions, simple answers. This is a clear, single-minded idea. It is easy to understand and remember. For a brand like Cars24, which operates in a complex category, this clarity is valuable. It helps cut through the noise and focus on what matters most to consumers.
The partnership with Talented and Bang Bang Mediacorp is also notable. Talented is known for its culturally rooted, insight-led creative work. Bang Bang Mediacorp brings production and content expertise. Together, they have created a campaign that feels both familiar and fresh. It uses a well-known story but applies it in a new context. This is not the first time Cars24 has used creative storytelling. But it is one of the first times the CEO has been front and centre. This signals a shift in how the brand wants to be perceived. It is not just a tech platform. It is a trusted partner in one of the biggest financial decisions a consumer makes.
