Naushad Shaikh reworks tradition through The Paan Story, making paan chic for luxury wedding venues
Naushad Shaikh brings an unusual blend of corporate discipline and cultural conviction to the wedding business. An MBA graduate, he spent 11 years with MNC brands including Haier, Whirlpool and LG before stepping away in 2019 to launch The Paan Story, a luxury paan concept built on a clear promise: 100% tobacco-free and spit-free paan.
Shaikh has repositioned paan as a refined, hygienic and hospitality-friendly experience for luxury weddings, premium venues and destination celebrations. He shares how The Paan Story approaches menu design, guest experience and venue-ready service for each celebration.
Tailoring Paan to Wedding Themes
“When people hear ‘paan’, the first association is often red stains and tobacco, which is why many luxury hotels do not allow it. But paan itself has no connection with that image. Historically, it was part of medicine, traditional offerings and mehmaannawaazi. Its image deteriorated due to tobacco and related products.
Through The Paan Story, we have worked to restore that identity by introducing 100% tobacco-free and spit-free paan. This solves a real problem for hotels, wedding planners and hosts who want paan in a luxury celebration. That is our biggest USP and the reason planners and properties bring us in to create what we call a “PAANtastic” experience.
We customise not only by wedding theme, but also by destination, number of setups, local traditions and hotel protocols. Whatever the brief, we do not serve tobacco or tobacco-related products.
Our menu formats include DIY Mukhwas, where we curate 10 to 25 varieties such as Banarsi Mukhwas, Anardana, Seven Seeds and Silver Mint. Guests can taste, choose favourites and fill glass jars to take home, making it interactive and memorable.
We also offer Paan + Mukhwas, with traditional options like maghai meetha paan, Calcutta meetha paan, nauratan sada paan and sugar-free paan, paired with 10 mukhwas varieties. In Paan Ball + Mukhwas, we curate paan balls such as Saffron, Khus Khus, Pista, Dark Choco and Rose Choco, again with 10 mukhwas options. A combined setup brings together Traditional Paan + Paan Ball + DIY Mukhwas in one format.
Paan as an All-Event Experience
“I would not limit paan to the end of the wedding feast. For us, it becomes an experience across the event. Our menu is designed so guests begin engaging early and keep returning. Whether it is maghai paan, mukhwas or paan balls, they are drawn by presentation and taste. Once they try it, they bring others, so the counter grows through word-of-mouth during the function itself.
Royal Paan for Global Weddings
“I think paan is not evolving from a street tradition because it was never originally limited to that. It has a rich history linked to Indian royalty and hospitality. In ancient India, it was offered to guests as a mark of honour. Mughal emperors and Rajput kings also enjoyed paan, often with silver and gold. Its later nukkad-shop association came after tobacco entered the category.
We are rebuilding that original image for the global Indian diaspora through offerings ranging from traditional paan to premium options such as “Gold” paan, because paan carries both heritage and nostalgia. Today’s diaspora is also highly health-conscious and often checks ingredient benefits before consuming anything. Betel leaf is widely associated with digestion support, oral hygiene support, respiratory relief, anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidants and possible blood sugar regulation. Source: Google.
Signature Weddings and Guest Reactions
“We have created live paan counters for families such as Adani, Marico, Haldiram and Vijay Sales, where celebrities have attended and tasted our paan, mukhwas and paan balls. The strongest feedback is around hygiene, elegance and flavour innovation. In many weddings, the live paan counter becomes a conversation starter and a memorable highlight.
At Trident Nariman Point, Mumbai, on 7 February 2026, we created a setup with 25 types of DIY Mukhwas and Gundi Paan. Guests described it as a unique mukhwas experience because they could taste, choose and fill bottles to carry home. The next day, 8 February 2026, another wedding at the same venue, handled by Krafted Luxury Events and Experiences, booked us immediately after the client saw the setup during a recce.
Pairing Paan with Menus and Cocktails
“We have worked closely with wedding planners to understand client requirements and hotel protocols. We have collaborated with top planners, and through them, our stalls have travelled across the country. We also work with luxury caterers, and many guests reach us directly through word-of-mouth.
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