Nikhil Kamath, co-founder of Zerodha and one of India’s most influential startup investors, has invested in One Hand Clap, a fast-growing creative agency founded by Aakash Shah and Naveed Manakkodan, both former members of the now-disbanded comedy collective All India Bakchod (AIB).
The investment was publicly announced through an Instagram post by Shah, who thanked Kamath and expressed optimism about the agency’s future: “Here’s to the next decade of building killer stuff together.” The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
From Comedy to Culture-First Campaigns
Founded in 2019, One Hand Clap emerged as a culture-savvy, digital-first creative studio in India’s competitive marketing landscape. Known for fusing humor with storytelling, the agency shot to prominence with a viral parody featuring MS Dhoni for electric cycle brand EMotorad, combining its AIB roots with sharp commercial sensibilities.
Over the years, the agency has expanded from a two-person operation to a team of 85, working with marquee clients such as Swiggy, Netflix, BGMI, CoinDCX, Bajaj Chetak, Prime Video India, and CRED.
A Strategic Bet on Creative Entrepreneurship
Kamath’s entry as an investor marks a growing trend of India’s new-age backers supporting non-traditional, creative-first businesses that sit at the intersection of content, technology, and culture.
Speaking on the collaboration, Shah noted, “Kamath gets our DNA.” He emphasized that the investor’s long-term mindset and comfort with non-linear growth paths align with the company’s unconventional approach to brand storytelling. Manakkodan added that the investment validates their belief that “in today’s content economy, authentic storytelling and agility are non-negotiable.”
A New Era for Creative Agencies
As One Hand Clap gears up for its next phase, the fresh capital and strategic alignment with Kamath are expected to boost the agency’s production capabilities, expand its creative infrastructure, and enable larger-scale integrated campaigns for top-tier brands.
The deal also highlights a larger movement in India’s startup ecosystem where investors are increasingly looking beyond fintech, SaaS, and e-commerce, and backing creative and culturally-rooted ventures.
With its origins in India’s comedic renaissance and its trajectory now tied to some of the biggest names in digital India, One Hand Clap is shaping up to be one of the most influential storytelling engines of the content-first era.