MUMBAI, 5 NOVEMBER, 2025 (GPN): What happens when India’s most loved storyteller faces every performer’s nightmare, a dry, scratchy throat right in the middle of a live show? He turns it into a punchline.

During his third live show on the Papa Yaar tour, comedian Zakir Khan paused to clear his throat before casually reaching for his Vicks ki Goli. “Ekdum gale ki vaat hi lag jaati hai! Vicks ke bharose hi chale re bhaiya hum toh. Woh bolte hai na, “Vicks ki goli lo, khich khich door karo.” The audience erupted in laughter at the familiarity. Little did anyone know, that moment would soon take over the internet.

Question on everyone’s minds is whether this was yet another integration by Vicks as part of the brand’s ongoing effort to connect with audiences through relatable, everyday moments, especially those familiar “throat tickles” that show up right when you need your voice the most.

Soon after the show, the on-stage moment began trending across social media platforms. Popular pages like Viral Bhayani, Trolls Official, Naughtyworld, Zindagi quotes and Daily over dose jumped on the moment with their own witty takes, saying things like ‘Zakir ki Boli, Vicks ki Goli,’ and ‘Vicks took the ‘Hmmm, Acha, Theek Hai!’ a notch higher.” The clip quickly gained traction, trending across Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, with audiences celebrating how effortlessly Vicks’ iconic ‘khich khich door karo’ message found its way back into everyday conversations.

What made the moment click wasn’t pure nostalgia, it was how effortlessly it blended into the act. Zakir’s casual “Vicks ki goli lo, khich khich door karo” didn’t feel like a plug; it felt like part of his storytelling rhythm, reminding audiences why some lines never leave our collective memory. Afterall legends trust legacy brands for their problems. In this case it was Zakir trusting Vicks for the cough and cold he was experiencing because of the travel, change in weather and back to back shows.

Zakir’s show is part of his ongoing national tour, where he’s performing to packed audiences across cities. But as all performers know, when the voice starts to give you that slight “khich khich,” it’s a moment of vulnerability every artist and fan instantly relates to.