Pankaj Tripathi Co-Founding Velvet Aims to Redefine Audio Storytelling

Actor Pankaj Tripathi has co-founded Velvet, a new cinematic audio storytelling platform launched in October 2024, aimed at reviving India's rich oral storytelling tradition through immersive audio experiences. The platform, which currently focuses on Hindi content, plans to expand into English and other Indian regional languages, and has already attracted a growing listener base with over 10,000 on its own platform and more than 1 million via distribution partners. Velvet's co-founding team includes Vikas Kumar, Akshat Saxena, Varad Bhatnagar, and Sharib Khan, who all share a vision of blending traditional storytelling with modern technology. The platform will feature collaborations with popular personalities to enhance its narrative offerings. Tripathi expressed his passion for storytelling, emphasizing the cultural importance of these narratives in inspiring and entertaining audiences. Velvet is available as a web platform and a free app for iOS and Android, having initially been introduced in beta for select distribution partners earlier in the year.