Viral Sensations of 2017 - Overnight social media superstars!

2017 was one hell of a rollercoaster, not much for us but for the people I’m about to mention, it was quite the ride! These were the viral sensations of 2017 who made the news, headlines, memes and more.

The year began strong with Aunty Gormint, followed by the young girl who turned into an overnight nationwide fascination after she stole the show in a Shah Rukh Khan selfie. I mean can you imagine you’re in the frame with Shah Rukh Khan and atleast a hundred people, and yet everyone’s got their eyes on you? Spectacular! Among these viral sensations of 2017, we have also featured the Indian Trivago guy who trickled down from our television screens to our phones through memes, the now disgraced Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, Prayer Aunty and more.

Find out who took over social media and made the list of Social Ketchup's annual viral sensations of 2017!

First off, we have the Aunty Gormint who stepped into the mainstream social media limelight in early January after users found a video of her utterly disgusted at the ‘biki hui gormint’. For obvious reasons, I’m not allowed to quote her golden words here but I cannot stop you from hitting play on the video below.

Also, since I’m a good guy, I’m just going to leave this Aunty Gormint Remix here.

So yeah, Aunty Gormint went viral and from ‘Dank Meme’ pages who quickly overcame their infatuation with Aunty memes, mainstream meme pages and even social media content creators such as AIB jumped the bandwagon with their Aunty Gormint memes.

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Her face has now become so easily recognizable, almost everyone recognizes it instantly. Not to mention that now iconic pose was recreated by Irrfan Khan to promote his movie.

https://www.facebook.com/IndiaBakchod/videos/1458597684184221/

Now that’s VIRAL!

The next one on our list of viral sensations of 2017, we have the young girl who managed to out-viral Shah Rukh Khan. She was all over Twitter, Facebook, news publications and oh my God.

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Just look at the comments people were leaving for her.

The comments that were being left under her picture. Source

शाहरुख की सेल्फी में नजर आ रही साइमा नाम की ये लड़की, असल जिंदगी में... | SRK ‘Selfie’ Mystery Girl https://t.co/f9ienkogvs pic.twitter.com/l1RzqnTpWz

— next9news (@next9news) February 5, 2017

So the deal was such, SRK was out promoting Raees and these days, selfies with stars are a huge draw. Tables turned this time around in Pune at the Symbiosis Institute of Design, as Saima Hussain Mir became an overnight sensation with many proclaiming their ‘love’ for her.

In no chronological order, here’s the next viral sensation on our list. I’m sorry, but in all fairness, I have to be thorough and all inclusive.

Three cheers for Dhinchak Pooja, who made it from extremely out-of-tune YouTube videos, to national television. Yeah, quite the leap.

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She attained total mainstream popularity after her song, Selfie Maine Le Li Aaj became national meme fodder, and from then onwards, she has not looked back. She did have a few ‘songs’ before that superhit, although Selfie Maine Le Li Aaj catapulted her into the headlines.

Dhinchak Pooja rode the fame game and released another single some time later, titled ‘Baapu De De Thoda Cash’ and it came thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis close to be nominated for the Grammys. Yeah no, that is not even close to how close it DIDN’T come.

Slowly, the Dhinchak Pooja trend began to fizzle out but as they always do, our Television counterparts are rather ‘not quick’ and decided to rope her in for the upcoming season of Bigg Boss. That did not last either, and some unnecessary and in-poor-taste jokes at her expense, Dhinchak Pooja was evicted from the Bigg Boss house.

Personally, I cringe more at Bigg Boss than Dhinchak Pooja.

Next up, Prayer Aunty, the most innocent and respected meme template to have ever existed.

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Picture this, Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiants are battling it out on the field in the final of the Indian Premier League, and the camera cuts to an elderly woman in the stands, her eyes closed, hands folded in prayer, and Mumbai Indians end up winning the match!

Her image was plastered all over Twitter and Facebook with people from all over the country claiming that Mumbai Indians win was due to her, and of course there were lots of memes. Inserting Prayer Aunty into scenarios where her superior prayer skills might be needed.

Turns out, she was no ordinary Aunty, but the Mother of Mumbai Indians co-owner, Nita Ambani. Yep, the same Nita Ambani who is married to the richest Indian businessman.

Mukesh bhai, I know the secret of your success.

Of course, then there’s the guy everyone loves to hate. ‘The Trivago Guy’, or Abhinav Kumar, his real name, or Trivago wala banda’ as he’s actually called.

Back when the Trivago ads aired on the television, you, I and everyone else had one question. International organization, lots of resources, and this is the guy they choose to endorse their product in a booming Indian market?

Also, the Indian Trivago guy and his awfully relaxed demeanour, not-so-crisp clothing and unkempt look, not to mention his enunciation made up for one weird guy to be on TV over and over again. Some people loved it, some people hated the very sight of it, and some people (obviously) made memes out of it.

Overall, Abhinav Kumar literally couldn’t care less, and in fact enjoyed the attention, criticism and praise, taking everything with a pinch of salt. He even shared memes that were made using his template, and had a good laugh.

Top lad.

Next on our list of Viral Sensations of 2017, we have Saint (no) Doctor (hell no) Gurmeet Ram (nope) Rahim (nah) Singh Insaan (yeah no), the disgraced leader of the Dera Sacha Sauda, a controversial sect among Sikhs.

Convicted of sexually assaulting and raping two of his female disciples, accused of having did the same to countless more, MSG Baba, who was recognized as Saint, Doctor, Insaan, Actor, Singer, Writer, Director, Stuntman and everything else, came to recognized as what he actually was, a disgrace.

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His supporters created a ruckus and a law and order nightmare with their rioting to ‘protect’ their ‘pitaji’ although that amounted to diddlysquat as he was found guilty and sent to jail for two decades. Of course, social media took no time to rejoice and meme the living daylights out of the man who was the eye and ear cactus for the entire country ever since he realized he can just make movies to stroke his giant hairy ego.

Good riddance.

Our next inclusion is another infamous overnight social media viral sensation, Mr. Omprakash Mishra, an aspiring rapper who may have buried his dreams long ago, but was discovered and turned into a legend by the internet.

Omprakash Mishra’s song, Bol Na Aunty Aau Kya, a vulgar innuendo laced off tune poorly sung track, was all that and catchy so of course, it caught on. The memes followed, and they did not die down as similar trends usually do.

The original video is nowhere to be found.

Bol Na Aunty Aau Kya found mainstream media coverage by major publications, derided by many for it’s vulgar content, and was termed sexist and misogynistic by a lot of people.

https://www.facebook.com/bolnaauntyaaukyaofficial/videos/1498159880276532/

Although the other faction of ‘supporters’ that Omprakash Mishra found, turned his song into an anthem, progressing from a few memes, to real life meetups in cities to come together and scream ‘Bol Na Aunty Aau Kya, Ghanti Main Bajau Kya’ in public places.

The first meetup in Delhi was covered by news publications and content portals, and it sparked off an endless trend of copycat meetups and events across social media. The storm just wouldn’t die down, as no matter how many criticized the song, just as many were out there supporting it, protecting their meme rights.

His supporters called the song, harmless horseplay, and that it was merely catchy and fun, and that Omprakash was merely exercising his freedom of expression. With plenty of Bollywood songs and films peddling vulgar content, but not being called out, Omprakash’s supporters argued that he was being bullied and singled out because he was not from Bollywood.

Things escalated to a degree where it ceased to be about opinions, and straight up became disgusting after Deeksha Sharma from The Quint received rape and death threats for her video expressing anger towards Omprakash Mishra and his song.

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Meme pages that supported Omprakash Mishra began to troll Deeksha Sharma, and organizing 'raids' to troll and downrate The Quint and Quint Neon's Facebook pages.

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https://www.facebook.com/chuisms/videos/1397748453667833/

The ‘artist’ enjoyed the attention, created an official page for himself, promised a new single and delivered. Unfortunately for him, the internet had moved on.

Finally, a good citizen who only wanted the Nagarpalika to do their damn job, and fill the damn ‘gaddha’ (pothole) and was turned into the new and advanced category of video meme!

Meet Shahid Alvi, the Nagarpalika meme guy who has not immortalized the line ‘arrey bhai-bhai-bhai’.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=12&v=t-GzbZzDo3I

Shahid Alvi, a reporter who intended to fight ‘Bhattachaar’ (Bhrashtachaar, Corruption), and as he squares up to deliver his impactful speech with the dramatic Crime Patrol type walk and all, ends up falling face first onto the ground. What ensues is a profanity laden rant that was so easily editable into soooo many videos, and still maintained its ability to make us laugh!

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Here are some of the videos meme compilations that were born out of Shahid Alvi’s noble intentions cut short by the Nagarpalika’s carelessness, and sadly, the desh will have to wait to be surakshit until every gaddha is not filled.

These were the people who made it to the Viral Sensations of 2017 list. Do let us know if we missed a name, in the comments section.

Featured Image Source

Aunty Gormint, Prayer Aunty, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, Dhinchak Pooja.