~ Sony Pictures Networks India rolls ‘India Ki Sabse Badi Party’ with Pankaj Tripathi — a 65-second multilingual film, fan editions and football tuition shorts ahead of India vs Panama, Brazil and Uruguay. ~
Mumbai, September 2026: Sony Pictures Networks India has launched ‘India Ki Sabse Badi Party’, a campaign fronted by Pankaj Tripathi to pull audiences into the Indian football team’s three-match international window — Panama (September 25), Brazil (October 3, Kolkata) and Uruguay (October 6). The ask is bigger than the core football fan: turn historic fixtures into a shared national occasion on Sony Sports Network, Sony AATH and Sony LIV.
The main film opens on a mysterious invitation to a celebration on October 3 — then reveals the reason is India taking on five-time world champions Brazil in Kolkata. The 65-second cut rolls in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada. Around it sit a fan-edition series with supporters across India in local languages, short-form ‘Tripathi Ji Ki Tuition’ lessons, and a planned social-first run pairing Tripathi with Team India players and skipper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.
Rajesh Kaul, Chief Revenue Officer and Business Head, Sports and International, Sony Pictures Networks India, said: “India taking on Panama, Brazil and Uruguay represents a landmark moment for Indian football, and we wanted to build a campaign that matched the scale and excitement of these fixtures. Pankaj Tripathi’s universal appeal, authenticity and natural ability to connect with audiences make him the perfect person to invite the country to this celebration. Through the campaign, we want to build excitement beyond the core football audience and turn these historic matches into a shared national occasion.”
Tripathi added: “Football has a unique way of bringing people together. Through ‘India Ki Sabse Badi Party’, we have tried to celebrate that passion in a way that is entertaining, relatable and full of joy.”
Marketing take: Broadcasters often sell the match; SPNI is selling the party. Putting Tripathi’s everyday warmth ahead of star-footballer glamour is a bet that invitation energy travels further than highlight reels — especially when the opponent on the invite is Brazil.
