Card 1:
Image Description:
Two men holding hands, a photo of another man crossed out
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A History of the Internet's
MOST FAMOUS FRIENDSHIP MEME
Friendship ended with MUDASIR
Now SALMAN is my best friend
On September 13, 2015, a meme appeared on Facebook.
It did not know that it would go on to become VERY FAMOUS. What was the story here?
Swipe for flashback!
Card 2:
Image Description:
Photos of Asif and Mudasir
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The year is 2015. The city is Gujranwala in Pakistan. But the place is Facebook, then South Asians ka fav social media.
Asif Raza had a fight with Mudasir, his friend of five years.
The fight had been brewing for a while. The two had been very close, shared everything with each other.
But then, Asif felt Mudasir became 'ARROGANT. He started hanging out less with Mudasir.
Then, allegedly, Mudasir reported one of Asif's pictures. That was it.
Card 3:
Image Description:
Screenshot of a tweet
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Asif used all the shiny tools available to get even with his 'selfish' and 'proudy' friend.
Rana Asif Raza
Mudasir was a good friend until 10 September he report my pic on facebook and now he is alone and I have so many friends Because I was right
Some basic Photoshop skills later, the meme was posted on Facebook.
Lekin yeh Salman bhai kidhar se aaye?
Card 4:
Image Description:
Photo of Salman’s face on a bodybuilder’s body
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Salman had also been part of Asif and Mudassar's group of friends. Post-argument, Asif upgraded him to best friend-ship.
Raza's newly elected bestie was the city's resident model.
Card 5:
Image Description:
Screenshot of a tweet
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The meme went viral overnight.
After all, it had touched a universal human emotion. Aur thoda sa drama kisko nahi pasand?
Over 500 people commented in the next week. Subredditors awakened. Facebook users (yes, that was a thing then) jumped into the frenzy, choosing sides and sending consolations.
The meme soon crossed the borders of South Asia to travel worldwide.
Card 6:
Image Description:
Photo of Obama and Trump shaking hands (Similar to the meme) Hilary Clinton’s photo is crossed out.
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"Friendship ended with X. now Y is my best friend"
became THE template to announce everything from romantic heartbreaks to matters of global politics.
It was even widely parodied in the Trump election (pichla wala).
"Friendship ended with HILARY
DONALD is my best friend"
Meanwhile behind the scenes, a patch up was in progress.
Card 7:
Image Description:
Photo of two men holding hands
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A new meme was issued in October 2010.
"I left friendship with Mudasir because of his attitude and 'arrogant.' I forgive old friend Mudasir because he has good attitude now," Raza said.
Happy ending? Ah, don't forget zalim zamana. Jalne ki boo aa rahi thi. The world never could stand lovers (or a threesome :p)
Card 8
Image Description:
Two men holding hands, a photo of another man crossed out
Screenshot of a tweet
Text on cards
Some time later, an anon account on Twitter (hamesha se kalesh centre) @haarleyquinn tweeted
"There has been an update to the salman/mudasir/asif story...it now has three parts."
They shared a photo in which Raza had linked arms with Salman with the text
Mudasir, you can cry alone now
But Raza quickly clarified saying that the old meme was just being reused. All was good amongst the boys. Communication is key in dosti, doston.
Card 9:
Image Description:
Mudasir, Salman and Asif all in one photo, having fun
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'The Lads of Gujranwala,'
as they called themselves, continued to indulge in the everyday sweetness of dosti.
They hung out frequently, looked for good food to eat, and enjoyed the rain together. Aur kya hi chahiye zindagi mein?
Well...NFTs?
On the eve of Friendship Day, 2021 Raza auctioned the meme. It sold for $51,062
Card 10:
Image Description:
A tight grip Handshake
Text on cards
Asif said, "I can't even remember what we fought about. At that time we were so focused on each other. If either of us met other friends we would get hurt. We used to share all of our deepest secrets with each other."
"But, I didn't want to
Lose a friend over this.
So I excused him,
and he excused me."
Card 11:
Image Description:
Screenshot of a Tweet
Text on cards
South Asia mein, we have had long histories of intimacies, dosti and p(yaar).
These connections have always queered duniya's sterotypes about masculinity, connections and heteronormative family fundas.
Historians will say they were 'just' friends. 'Just' bole toh kya? Salim-Javed would say,
“Yeh dosti, ham nahi todenge..."
Tweet by Asif Rana Reads:
"Friendship is not a toy to play, if we consider it toy to play, then we play with hearts in the name of friendship... friendship is the name of faith, the life is with the friends, I think that the life is nothing without friends......"
Dil deke dekho - dost ko, yaar ko, humsafar aur dildar ko!
