Millions of people across the length and breadth of the world work really hard towards making their dream of becoming famous celebrities to turn true. While a bunch of people fail to achieve that benchmark, many turn into overnight social media celebrities.
With a gazillion videos uploaded on the internet every second, it takes something really eye-catching to become a viral sensation. From Pakistani ‘Chai Waala’ to the ‘Land Kara De’ man, these ordinary people went viral in no time.
1. Dananeer Mobeen – Pawrri Ho Rahi Hai
Based in Islamabad, a 19-year-old student shot to fame after her five-second clip went viral on social media across the nation this year. Shot amidst the Nathaigali Mountains of Northern Pakistan, Dananeer uploaded the clip on Instagram that showed a group of friends enjoying by a roadside. Swinging around the camera, she says, “Yeh Humari Car Hai, Aur Yeh Hum Hai Aur Yeh Humari Pawrri Ho Rahi Hai”. She is now a blogger with a whopping 1.3 million followers on Instagram.
2. Arshad Khan – Pakistani Chai Waala
When budding photographer Jiah Ali shot this picture of a chai waala and shared it on her Instagram page in 2016, she had no idea that it would become a national sensation. Within few hours of the upload, the picture spread across social media like fire and made every woman go weak in the knees. Now 23, Arshad Khan AKA hot-tea chai waala is more popular than most of us ever will be. He also bagged a modelling contract thanks to his killer looks and the superpower of social media.
3. Yashraj Mukhate – Rasode Mein Kaun Tha Mashup
Unless you are living under a rock, you would definitely know who Yashraj Mukhate is. Rose to fame with his ‘Rasode Mein Kaun Tha’ mashup, this musician made our whole lockdown period easier for us. Having more than 4.6 million subscribers, he recently bagged a Silver and Golden Play Button by YouTube. From ‘Pawrri Ho Rahi Hai’ to ‘Biggini Shoot’, his other mashups went on and became a big superhit.
4. Kanta Prasad – Baba Ka Dhaba
Owning a small dhaba in Delhi, Kanta Prasad AKA Baba left hundred hearts broken with his interview last year with food blogger Gaurav Wasan. With the interview link being viewed by over 50 million people on Facebook and 30 million people on Instagram, it was even shared by actress Sonam Kapoor along with many other celebrities. People soon flocked to ‘Baba Ka Dhaba‘ and made the dhaba an instant hit. Many people came forward to help the couple financially, enabling them to undergo free cataract surgery and open a new restaurant.
5. Ranu Mondal – Rags To Riches From West Bengal
First spotted at the Ranaghat Railway Station in West Bengal in 2019 singing the Lata Mangeshkar classic Ek Pyar Ka Nagma, Ranu Mondal became an overnight hit after a video clip of her singing was shared on social media by a passer-by. She is now a Bollywood playback singer, thanks to renowned singer and composer Himesh Reshammiya.
6. Somvati Mahawar – Chai Pee Lo
“Hello Friends, Chai Pee Lo” – If you heard this viral line back in 2018, you know that you are on top of your meme game. Somvati Mahawar became an overnight wonder with her 15-second video, amassing millions of views. Brands like Netflix, ShopClues, Foodpanda and Mother Dairy also participated in the meme fest that followed later. She recorded more than 400 videos and became a well-known content creator with 28k followers.
7. Dhinchak Pooja – Selfie Maine Leli Aaj
Now, who doesn’t know this pop queen? Rose to fame in 2017 with her ‘Selfie Maine Leli Aaj’, Dhinchak Pooja is known for presenting her vocals and lyrics with extreme confidence. She also participated in several reality shows like Big Boss Season 11 and Entertainment Ki Raat.
8. Vipin Sahu – Land Kara De
Vipin Sahu became an internet sensation in 2019 after a rib-tickling video of his first experience of paragliding in Himachal Pradesh was shared on social media. As we heard him saying, “Bhai 200-300 Zaada Lele Bas Land Karade”, we couldn’t help but laugh our guts out. He is now a popular YouTuber with 125K subscribers. Recently, he bagged an advertisement deal, alongside Alia Bhatt, for Cadbury Perk. In the hilarious ad, he is seen recreating his signature dialogue and expressions.
9. Rozi Khan – Desi Tyrion Lannister
Hailing from Pakistan, Rozi Khan, a waiter went viral online because of his uncanny resemblance to Peter Dinklage, who plays Tyrion Lannister in the HBO fantasy series Game Of Thrones. The resemblance does not stop at their facial features; both men are 4 feet 5 inches (135 cms) tall. His life took a turn when the son of a restaurant owner spotted the resemblance and posted his picture on Facebook. He is now an emerging actor and also featured in his first commercial for a Game of Thrones-themed number for food delivery service, Cheetay.
10. Shahid Alvi Sid – Bhai Bhai Bhai
“Arre Bhai Bhai Bhai” – If you didn’t say this at least once to your friends then are you even their real friend? The originator behind this meme, Shahid Alvi Sid, gained a lot of popularity back in 2017 after a clip of him reporting on potholes went viral. Using profane language against the city authorities, he was seen complaining about the same issue. Later, he also appeared on popular comedy collective AIB’s Peeke Maat Chala song on YouTube.
Who is your favourite among these?