ISLAMABAD: Another year of the coronavirus pandemic and intensified scrolling on the internet has passed in Pakistan with viral trends and memes that provided some relief and distraction from feeds otherwise overflowing with news of new variants and outbreaks.
There were posts and videos that made us laugh, and there was content that made us furious. Arab News brings you a review of what went viral on the internet in 2021.
'Pawri Hori Hai'
A comedic video shot in Pakistan by teen Dananeer Mobeen, which was turned into a remix by Indian composer Yashraj Mukhate in February, amassed over 72 million views on YouTube.
In the clip, the 19-year-old influencer is seen in a selfie video in Pakistan’s north, pointing behind her to her friends and a vehicle: “This is our car, this is us, and we are partying here!”
While the clip itself instantly became popular, it also turned into a cross-border hit after Mukhate's mashup. The likes of Bollywood superstar Deepika Padukone and Indian cricketer Virat Kohli were among those who posted memes and their versions of the viral line, ‘pawri hori hai.’ The Pakistan Cricket Board also shared a video of the national team doing their "pawri" clip after winning a series against South Africa.
Nida Yasir's 'Formula One' car
An old clip of Nida Yasir, arguably Pakistan’s most popular morning TV show host, in which she is interviewing two students who designed an electric Formula One racing car, become one the funniest viral videos of the year.
“How many people can fit the car?” Yasir is heard asking in the 2016 clip as the students try to explain that they had created a car, not a formula, and that it was a single-seat, open-cockpit racing vehicle.
Yasir then wonders whether or not Formula One works just like the "petrol wali gaari" (petrol driven car) and later inquires about the horn.
The clip triggered a flood of online trolling, with many commenting that Yasir should have prepared before the interview and others praising the students for calmly answering her questions.
Aamir Liaquat's snake dance
Amir Liaquat, a politician and TV host, stunned social media users in April with a Naagin dance performance during his show "Jeeway Pakistan." In the dance, which was based on a snake's movements, Liaquat was trying to emulate Bollywood legend Sri Devi, who had famously performed the dance in the 1980s.
After shaking his leg to the beat, Liaquat stretched on the floor and pretended to be a snake — puzzling his guests and audience alike, with some finding his performance bizarre, especially as it came during the fasting month of Ramadan, which is normally marked by piety.
Sadaf Kanwal's 'husband culture'
Pakistani model-cum-actress Sadaf Kanwal created an uproar in July after an interview with a local news outlet where she said that "husbands are our culture" as is "picking up their shoes and ironing clothes." Kanwal's views on married life baffled the nation which is already struggling with women's empowerment and gender-based violence.
Social media users said they didn't quite understand what she meant by likening culture to husbands, with some wondering whether in this context "babysitter" was a synonym to "wife." Others just felt sorry for Kanwal.
Cannoli aunties
A video recorded by two owners of Cannoli cafe in Islamabad immediately gained the viral #BoycottCannoli hashtag in January as it showed them mocking an employee for his English language skills. The one-minute clip begins with the women introducing themselves and saying they were "bored" as the camera turned straight to the cafe's manager, Awais.
The cafe owners ask him to speak a sentence in English and introduce himself. Complying, he says: "Hi, my name is Awais. And ... I job there ... manager."
Laughing, one woman turns the camera back to herself: "So this is our manager who's been with us for nine years. This is the beautiful English he speaks," she said. "This is what we pay for."
As the video sparked outrage, the Cannoli owners publicly apologized, saying the video "never meant or taken in a hurtful or negative way." But the bad taste stayed, igniting a discussion on class privilege in Pakistan. Awais, meanwhile, was elevated to social media hero status, with Twitterati praising his dedication to work, and some even offering him new job opportunities.
