Brewing Stories of Togetherness: Behind the Scenes with Wagh Bakri Tea
A trip focused on comfort, culture, and connection—one cup at a time.
In India, tea is not just a beverage. It is a ritual, a pause, and an exchange between hearts. Every cup of chai tells its own story—from railway stations to family kitchens—whether it’s laughter shared, comfort given, or stories created.
When Wagh Bakri Tea, one of the most loved and trusted tea brands in India, approached me to create visual storytelling, their request was beautifully simple, yet deeply meaningful:
“We don’t just sell tea. We sell moments of togetherness.”
This one line became the guiding principle for our creative journey. The brand was asking for images that extended beyond the product, and that evoked the feeling of belonging. They wanted the images to evoke home—familiarity, warmth, and unmistakably Indian.
The creative direction closely aligned with Jyoti’s philosophy of styling rooted in warmth and authenticity.
Each detail—from lighting to steam billowing from a kettle—needed to tell a story of comfort.
About Jyoti Khengale – The Vision Behind the Styling
As a Food Stylist, my belief system is based around authenticity and emotion. Food styling is not just about how it ‘looks,’ but how it ‘feels.’ A food stylist wants you to feel something when you see a plated dish. Each job offers me a chance to reveal the soul of the brand through imagery. I want to create imagery that people do not just ‘see’ but feel. It may be the glisten of freshly brewed chai, the crumb of a biscuit beside it, or the comfort in the familiar props we used to tell our story – each detail collectively contributes to a narrative that establishes the connection.
Working with Wagh Bakri Tea was especially close to my heart as the brand and their values resonate deeply with my own creative value system. Their values of togetherness, culture, and comfort aligns with my process of styling – which is to tell a story that is real, warm, and relatable.
All work we do under Jyoti Food Stylist is based on the foundation of this belief – food is simply memory made visible; and the Wagh Bakri Tea campaign was the perfect canvas to share all of this.
What Did the Client Want to Achieve?
The team at Wagh Bakri had the desire to develop a campaign that honored the real Indian chai experience — those quieter soulful moments shared with family, friends, and ourselves. This did not mean developing a campaign around a product, but rather around connection.
Their creative brief articulated what they wanted quite well:
• Showcase the emotional bond over tea, not just the product. Every frame should say something about comfort, laughter, and belonging that is shared in a cup.
• Show real Indian spaces and moods. From the golden light coming through a home kitchen to the reflections of a calm early morning veranda, the settings should be warm, lived in, and familiar.
• Soft, natural, and story-driven. The visuals should not depend on anchored props adding to the setting. Chosen colors should be gentle, selected tones, along with authentic textures, to let the raw feeling remain in every shot.
The intent was to let the audience feel what every Indian feels instinctively with the first sip of their tea — home, peace, and togetherness.
For the styling team, this project represented a unique creative opportunity to translate emotion into imagery. It was a chance to take emotion and create imagery, and reveal simple beauty in wares to tell a new timeless story around chai, connection, and India.
How Did I Bring Their Vision to Life?
The initial approach focused on connecting with the emotion and identity of the brand. Wagh Bakri is about much more than tea leaves, it’s about conversations, your memories and the smiles we share. I wanted each photo to feel like a moment you’ve already experienced.
Step 1: Developing the Moodboard
The moodboard was inspired by golden morning tones, rustic props, and real textures — chipped cups, cotton napkins, steam billowing through soft light. I was after a style that felt warm, unposed – not perfect.
Step 2: Styling on Set
Each arrangement was styled to seem effortless but designed — the kettle mid-pour, biscuits next to the cup, two hands sharing tea. I focused on light direction and natural shadows to create the feeling of sunrise beaming through your kitchen window.
The tea’s golden color contrasted beautifully against muted backgrounds, signifying the warmth of comfort amidst life’s mayhem.
Step 3: Collaboration & Authenticity
I worked closely with the brand’s creative team and photographer to convey authenticity. Every single prop, from the tray to the teaspoon, had to feel like it was appropriately purchased in an Indian household as you would see in a commercial studio.
What Did We Showcase in the Final Frames?
The final campaign told stories rather than selling products. We showcased:
• Morning chai rituals — soft light, rising steam, and peace before the day begins.
• Family bonding moments — laughter over tea and snacks, emphasizing emotional warmth.
• The simplicity of everyday chai — a reminder that joy often brews in the smallest moments.
Each image carried that signature Wagh Bakri feeling — warm, welcoming, and deeply Indian.
What Made This Project Special?
The Wagh Bakri Tea campaign was memorable for its apt blend of simplicity and depth. Rather than running towards heightened perfection or theatricality, the creative direction embodies genuine storytelling — creating place for emotion to arise from real, identifiable visuals.
Each frame was made to feel simple and authentic, reinterpreting the familiar gentleness of everyday life. The soft lighting, minimal props and natural human colors helped the visuals breathe, grounding them in an experience similar to a calm morning moment over chai.
When the campaign launched, the response across India was immediate. People began praising the visuals for their realness, warmth, and cultural connection, while embodying Wagh Bakri’s traditional message of togetherness.
The project ultimately captured an emotion — an experience brewed to perfection, proving that simplicity, when styled thoughtfully, resonates more deeply than any elaborate concept.
Final Thoughts
Through my journey as a food stylist, I’ve learned that great styling goes beyond aesthetics — it’s about evoking emotion and creating connection. Each project I take on is a new opportunity to craft visual stories that celebrate the essence of food.
As I continue to collaborate with leading brands and creators across India, my passion remains the same — to turn every dish into a piece of edible art.
📍 To explore my portfolio and latest projects, visit www.jyotifoodstylish.com.
