“Do you see a bowl of beef right in front of you?” “Yes, (and) I have posted it to Facebook” “Shouldn’t have done that”.
The first and last image are from the Bollywood movie ‘Dhamaal’ released in 2009 featuring the actor Rahul Raaz who plays an exasperating air traffic controller.
The final image contains the punchline borrowed from the movie which translates roughly as “shouldn’t have done that” (nahi karna tha). The line is the defining and typifying component of the meme.
The meme draws upon the controversy created by the actress Kajol posting a video on social media, declaring the opening of a new restaurant by her friend in Mumbai and which featured her enjoying a beef dish prepared by the same friend. Consumption and trade of beef has emerged as a sensitive issue, especially gaining strength over the past 2-3 years as cases of ‘cow vigilantism’ has increased, polarizing communities and leading to mob lynchings and loss of livelihoods.