Going viral in Pakistan

Zohair Toru, Chand Nawab, Owais 'Lovely' and Boom Boom World Cup have won us over.

Boom Boom World Cup

Forget rise of “Jazba” and “De Ghuma Ke” — this is the true anthem of the World Cup! It’s none other than “BOOM BOOM WORLD CUP” by none other than Asif Shah…and it has to be seen to be believed. With classic lines like “this is the bat of the cup, this is the pad of the cup”, and “Bangladesh aaye ga, machli chawal khayay ga”, Asif Shah has already gone into the viral hall of fame. Complete with dance routines, post-production editing and already into three versions (including one with yesteryear spinner Abdul Qadir), BOOM BOOM WORLD CUP is the song you’ll be humming all through the Cup and long afterwards…because once you’ve heard it, it will eat your brain from the inside out.

Chand Nawab

Here’s a golden oldie, at least as far as viral Pakistanis go. The legendary Chand Nawab himself! It’s typical: work as a journalist for years and years, do stories on just about every issue in Karachi…and you end up getting famous for a blooper reel. Needless to say, Chand Nawab’s unending stream of attempts to get his piece to camera right probably got him more fame than any amount of serious reporting he may have done.

Garmi mein Inqilab

Our very own ‘hot and bothered’ revolutionary Zohair Toru is the latest viral hit in Pakistan — and possibly beyond, given that the bulk of his hero Imran Khan’s support seems to come from expats. Toru’s earnest “Itni garmi main kaun jalsa karta hay?” spurred an avalanche of Facebook posts, YouTube comments, a few op-eds and at least one TV appearance (to date). Love him or mock him, Toru’s made his mark.

Awais Lovely

There’s something borderline creepy about a guy who documents just about every part of his life on YouTube, but that doesn’t seem to bother Awais ‘Lovely’…or his many fans for that matter. The videos include a guided tour of his house, complete with electric blue carpeting and artificial flowers, Awais talking about his likes, going on drives and showing off his dance moves. There’s also Awais looking sad right before he leaves ‘for abroad’ and now a new edition of his activities in Ireland. Lovely.

Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, April  3^rd, 2011.