The language of Bollywood is always changing—with the times, with the trends, and now, with the memes. While we’ve seen countless movie moments turn into viral memes, sometimes the reverse happens too. That’s right—every now and then, the filmmakers look at the internet, see a meme going viral, and go, “Hmm... script likho!” And honestly, we love it.
Case in point is 'Sitaare Zameen Par'. The trailer just dropped, and there’s a scene where Aamir Khan’s character, a basketball coach, is told by someone: “Aap coach bahut acche ho, lekin aadmi su*r ho.” Well, it’s straight out of a legendary meme moment starring singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya. A few years back, someone (Archit Arya) on the internet had the audacity (or honesty?) to comment on one of Abhijeet's interviews: "Aapki voice mein bahut sadgi hai Abhijeet Bhattacharya ji par aadmi su*r ho." That instantly became a meme, and now, that burn has made it to the big screen.
Clearly, Bollywood is following memes and taking notes. So, while we wait to see 'Sitaare Zameen Par' in theatres, let’s revisit other recent instances where the industry shamelessly borrowed from meme-land.
Credit: Aamir Khan Talkies
The “Wo kya hota hai?” meme is basically the internet’s favorite way of saying, “I have absolutely no clue what you're talking about, but I’ll pretend I might learn soon.” It’s usually sparked by situations where someone asks a loaded question—“Valentine’s Day pe kya plan hai?” Response: “Wo kya hota hai?” Or the classic corporate heartbreak—“Appraisal kitna mila?” And you know the answer: “Wo kya hota hai?”
This meme format—equal parts confused and clueless—has quietly tiptoed into Bollywood too. In 'Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui', when Vaani Kapoor’s character opens up, Ayushmann Khurrana’s immediate response is: “Wo kya hota hai?” Cut to 'Satyaprem Ki Katha', where Kiara Advani reveals a deeply personal thing to Kartik Aaryan, and he drops the exact same confused-lost-puppy line: “Wo kya hota hai?”
Now, the situations are heavy, and maybe we should not be laughing. But the timing and delivery of these lines are straight out of memes. Bollywood clearly knows that even in the most intense moments, a well-placed meme reference can land perfectly—and remind us that cinema and internet humor aren’t all that different anymore.
'Bachchhan Paandey' is another example of what happens when Bollywood tries to turn meme gold into movie magic.
One scene that made everyone do a double take was when Akshay’s character tries to touch the feet of Pankaj Tripathi’s character. But instead of a respectful bend, it turns into a hilarious misfire—eerily similar to a viral video where a student accidentally touches his teacher’s wrong spot while trying to show respect. The internet had already turned that into a meme fest, and the film wanted in on the fun.
And then there was the coconut moment. No, really. A poster of the film showed Akshay and Jacqueline Fernandez sipping coconut water together in a bizarrely romantic pose. It looks familiar because it was a straight lift from a viral meme featuring a South Indian couple sharing a coconut with intertwined straws—something between a tropical date and a meme-worthy moment.
This one started with a disaster… literally. Back in 2022, during the Assam floods, a group of hostel boys was stuck in a waterlogged room. One of them, clearly done with life, looked around at the mess and burst out dramatically: “Hey Prabhu, Hey Hari Ram Krishna Jagannatham Prema Nandi, ye kya hua?” Someone recorded it, and — instant meme.
Credit: Viral Hit's Memes
The internet took that line and ran with it. From “salary credit nahi hua” to “ex ki shaadi ho gayi,” this chant became the anthem for every situation that made us question our existence.
Now, cut to 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3'. In the film’s title track, out of nowhere, you hear that same dramatic line — not in the story, but in the background of the song. While Kartik Aaryan is doing his signature intense dance moves, the viral “Hey Prabhu…” line plays like a surprise for the meme-loving audience.
Credit: silcharlive
Some laughed, some cringed, but without a doubt — this is peak Bollywood-meets-memes.
Whether you find it clever or just a little too try-hard, there’s no denying that memes are the new language of mainstream movies. And not just in Bollywood. When someone like Aamir Khan, who is known for meaningful cinema, casually drops “aadmi su*r ho” in 'Sitare Zameen Par', you know it’s not random — it fits. It adds flavor. But then you have something like 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3', where a meme is tossed into a song just for effect — fun, but not that necessary. Still, the trend conveys that memes are no longer just for laughs, they’re part of the script now.
Notably, Archit Arya is actually credited as one of the dialogue writers in 'Sitaare Zameen Par'.
