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Business Standard
26-05-2025
- Climate
- Business Standard
Mumbai rains: Memes capture flooded streets, traffic jams and city spirit
Mumbai experienced intense rainfall on Monday, leading to major disruptions in transport and air travel while submerging several parts of the city. Areas such as Dadar, Mahim, Parel, Bandra and Kalachowki were particularly affected as heavy showers combined with strong winds brought daily life to a standstill. Videos showed vehicles wading through inundated roads in low-lying zones like Kurla, Sion and Dadar. The downpour also caused serious flooding at KEM Hospital, where water entered the ground floor. Reports of waterlogging also came in from the Matunga and Hindmata regions. Meanwhile, a severe traffic snarl was reported on the Bhiwandi–Wada road in Thane district. As Mumbai waded through yet another monsoon mayhem on Monday, social media timelines turned into meme festivals reflecting the city's struggle. From witty takes on floating autos to drenched office-goers, Mumbaikars poured their frustration into humour — one viral post at a time. Take a look at some of the internet's most talked-about memes: One widely shared meme used a still from Baahubali 2, showing the iconic moment when Sivagami carries Mahendra Baahubali through a river. For one user, it perfectly summed up the struggle of office-goers today, imagining them braving the rain with laptops in hand. Mumbai People going to the office today . #MumbaiRains — Phunsuk Wangdu (@Phunsukwangduji) May 26, 2025 On X, a user posted a screengrab that read, 'Today the sky is so blue, and no pollution! Thanks to all the rain yesterday.' The caption accompanying the post read, 'Mandatory post on Mumbai spirit on a rainy day. Please take care, Mumbaikars.' Mandatory post on Mumbai spirit on the rainy day. Please take care, Mumbaikars — Indian Gyaandu (@meme_startup) May 26, 2025 Another user tapped into Bollywood nostalgia, sharing an image from the classic Mughal-e-Azam, where Dilip Kumar's Salim tells Madhubala's Anarkali, 'Utho Anarkali. Mumbai Spirit dikhane ka waqt aa gaya hai. #MumbaiRains.' ...and memes festival started featuring #MumbaiRains — Hiren Antani (@HirenAntani) May 26, 2025 A clip from Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah also made its rounds, featuring Disha Vakani as Daya dancing energetically. The post was captioned: 'Kaam pe jaana hai but this is the mood of majority rain-loving Mumbaikars right now. If the downpour gets lethal, the spirit of Mumbai will be ready to fight the odds, unlike BMC's preparedness.' Kaam pe jaana hai but this is the mood of majority rain-loving Mumbaikars, right now. If the downpour gets lethal, the spirit of Mumbai will be ready to fight the odds, unlike BMC's preparedness. #MumbaiRains #Monsoon2025 — Aditya (@Fauladi_Adi) May 26, 2025 Someone else summed up the commute with: '#MumbaiRains Mumbai Rains. When you are travelling from auto during rain and want to see what's happening outside.' Mumbaikars when they are told that India has become the 4th largest economy in the world. #MumbaiRains #Mumbai #MumbaiRain — Banrakas ???? (@noyes99) May 26, 2025 *Rains continuously for 5 mins* Infrastructure of the financial capital of India : #MumbaiRains — UmdarTamker (@UmdarTamker) May 26, 2025 Mahindra needs to launch an off road car so that a Mumbaikar can reach office on time during #MumbaiRains — Godman Chikna (@Madan_Chikna) May 26, 2025
Mint
18-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
India's meme marketing boom faces legal reckoning as copyright battles heat up
Mumbai: Remember when you casually shared the perfectly synced choreography of dance influencer Parveen Kumar Sharma on the viral hip-hop track 'Vartman'? While it feels like harmless fun, sharing such content can unknowingly step on copyright infringement. India's meme marketing boom, where pages earn lakhs monthly promoting brands through witty, viral content, is built on a fragile foundation of widespread copyright violations, misinformation, and regulatory grey areas. What started as a fun, low-cost way for brands to tap millions of young social media users has ballooned into a ₹3,000 crore industry by 2025, according to equity firm Equentis. 'When I started this page for fun in 12th standard in 2014, I never anticipated that it would become a lucrative business due to paid promotions," said Archit Madaan, founder of The Indian Sarcasm, a meme page turned marketing agency managing hundreds of pages. Yet as meme pages replicate content, lift clips from popular shows without permission, and skirt advertising disclosure rules, they risk legal crackdowns, reputational damage, and spreading fake news. Regulators and content owners, including makers of iconic shows like Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, are fighting back through copyright enforcement and legal action, signalling that the meme economy's wild west days may be numbered. Meme marketing: The business model Meme pages, which began as casual, humorous posts, have now evolved into mini marketing agencies, offering brands a low-cost, high-impact way to reach millions of young social media users. "Meme pages have become a convenient source of promotions for brands, offering a high return on investment due to lower cost with charges starting with ₹1,000 per story and typically ranging between ₹3, 000 ₹6,000 per post," said Madaan. For brands, meme marketing is an affordable alternative to traditional advertising. For context, ₹5 lakh can deliver 10 million organic views, a reach that would typically cost far more on mainstream platforms, according to Madaan. "Niche pages with over a million followers are able to earn up to ₹20 lakh per month in this industry. Leading meme pages get 3-4 brand promotions per day if they regularly post 20-25 content pieces daily," Madaan added. Meme pages primarily generate revenue through advertising, including sponsored content and brand partnerships, as well as ad revenue from monetized videos. But as competition intensifies, content copying has become rampant. "When we work with brands, they usually whitelist those posts so they appear on both the brand's and our page. However, due to overcrowding and high competition, other pages often repost the same content across different social media platforms, inviting copyright strikes from the brands," he added. Copyright infringement: A growing legal flashpoint Meme pages routinely use clips from popular shows, infringing on copyright and intellectual property (IP) laws, and sometimes even the personality rights of actors. In August 2024, the Delhi High Court restrained unauthorized use of characters and content from Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah following a suit by Neela Film Productions, holders of the show's trademarks and copyrights. 'As makers of a brand spanning animation, games, merchandise, and gamified learning, we take copyright infringement seriously," said Asit Modi, managing director of Neela Film Productions. While fan-made content is welcomed, monetizing clips or characters like Jethalal or Daya Ben without permission is not tolerated. Mint reported earlier this week that user-generated content using copyrighted material does not attract legal action if it is not monetized. However, with copyright infringement rampant on social media, enforcement remains challenging. As a result, copyright holders often refrain from taking action unless significant financial losses are involved. Read this | Music labels crack the whip as influencers flout copyright rules on social media In addition to copyright violations, meme pages also risk infringing on personality rights, an individual's exclusive rights to control the commercial use of their unique traits such as name, likeness, image, and persona. Indian celebrities like Anil Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, and Jackie Shroff have secured these rights to prevent unauthorized use of their personalities in advertising, merchandise, and digital content. A representative for a Bollywood actor who has secured a personality trademark told Mint that they frequently request the removal of digital content profiting from the actor's videos on social media platforms. "With AI-generated content on the rise, protecting the integrity of our brand is crucial, especially when inappropriate or vulgar depictions compromise our family-friendly values. We actively enforce our rights through copyright strikes and legal notices to safeguard our brand and ensure that our content remains respectful and enjoyable for audiences across all platforms," Modi added. According to Neela Films' anti-piracy partner, approximately 10 million infringing links are taken down annually, 700,000 monthly, covering videos, games, and merchandise. The misinformation risk Meme pages are a favoured news source for many young Indians, but their influence carries the risk of misinformation and fake news. Read this | Rise of legal influencers raises concerns over consequences of misleading advice, say partners of top law firms "The meme industry is a powerful tool for disseminating information, leveraging its cultural relevance in the social media era. It predominantly appeals to younger audiences, often serving as their primary source for vital news and information," said Aditya Gurwara, cofounder of influencer marketing agency Qoruz. However, this influence comes with a downside. 'Over the years, we have observed the rise of misinformation and fake news on these platforms as well. Given their extensive reach, it is imperative to recognize the power memes pose in shaping public perception," Gurwara said. Lawyers point out that meme pages, while breaching Indian laws over other malpractices, also promote illegal products and services. "Under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, social media platforms are required to make reasonable efforts by themselves and ensure that its users do not publish or share misinformation or information which is patently false, untrue or misleading in nature," said Ishan Johri, partner at law firm Khaitan and Co. "Further, the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 also penalises persons that make hate speech and circulate false information and rumours with the intent to cause fear or alarm to the public. Apart from copyright infringement and fake news, problematic practices include advertising of unlawful products or services embedded within meme content," Johri added. Brands walking a legal tightrope Brands have embraced memes for their viral potential and cultural relevance despite the risks. Read this | Brand-influencer court battles set the boundaries for creators 'Brands are certainly aware of the reputational and legal risks associated with meme pages, particularly when it comes to copyright infringement. However, many still choose to engage, albeit carefully, because of the unique cultural relevance and viral potential these platforms offer. The key is rigorous vetting and clearly defined content guidelines," said Amiya Swarup, partner and marketing advisory leader at consulting firm EY. The Advertisement Standards Council of India (ASCI) prescribes caution for brands working with meme pages, as they often don't declare paid partnerships. Also read | Influencer marketing presents brands with its challenges, ROI biggest concern 'Major brands have successfully integrated memes into their marketing strategies, often generating millions of engagements. Such brand-owned or authorised communications qualify as advertisements under ASCI's framework and must comply with disclosure requirements," said Manisha Kapoor, secretary general of ASCI. 'This ensures transparency and helps consumers distinguish between organic content and paid promotions."
Time of India
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Exclusive- When Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah's producer Asit Modi reacted to Gurucharan Singh dealing with tough time; says 'He was going through issues...'
Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah has been in the spotlight for more than just its humour, with several actors exiting the show midway and raising serious concerns, ranging from unpaid dues to allegations of mental harassment. Recently, the news of Gurucharan Singh's hospitalisation had surfaced and the actor had even allegedly claimed that producer Asit Modi had withheld his remaining remuneration. Responding to the buzz, Modi addressed the issue in a chat with Times of India TV , offering his side of the story. Asit shared that he and his family have close bond with Gurucharan, he said, "Gurucharan is a good person and I'm emotionally connected to him. My wife and kids love and adore him. He was going through issues in between and I just pray for him that he gets out of the troubled times." There have been times when Gurucharan had posted pictures of meeting the producer whenever he was in the city even after his exit from the show. Well, the show has been currently in headlines with the speculation of bringing back Dayaben, Asit Modi had exclusively shared, "Aaj hum Daya bhabhi ko bhi zarur miss kar rahe hain lekin Daya bhabhi jab bhi aaye…. Agar wohi Daya bhabhi aajaye toh hum bahot khush honge aur agar nayi Daya bhabhi bhi aaye toh hum character ko pakad ke rakhenge. My wife is the biggest fan of Daya bhabhi and she missed her a lot. Roz woh mujhe ghar par poochti hai Daya bhabhi ko lekar aarahe ho. So just wait for sometime Daya bhabhi will be back very soon. Itna sabar kiya hai thoda sabar aur Daya bhabhi jaldi aayenge. I miss her a lot and we will get her back soon."
