Translating Indian Internet Memes: Strategies, Challenges & Cultural Adaptation
Name:- Aakash Chavda
Batch:- M.A. Sem 4 (2023-2025)
Enrollment Number:-5108230011
E-mail Address:-aakashchavda637@gmail.com
Roll Number:- 01
Assignment Details:-
Topic:- Translating Indian Internet Memes: Strategies, Challenges & Cultural Adaptation
Paper & subject code:- Paper 208: Comparative Literature & Translation Studies
Submitted to:- Smt. Sujata Binoy Gardi, Department of English, MKBU, Bhavnagar
Abstract
This paper explores how Indian internet memes are translated across languages, focusing on strategies used to adapt humor and cultural references. Using a qualitative approach grounded in Translation Studies theories—such as Venuti’s domestication/foreignization and Skopos theory—the research analyzes three popular memes. Findings highlight the use of literal translation, adaptive rewriting, and caption-based explanation to navigate cultural gaps. The study shows that meme translation is a creative process of cultural negotiation, revealing the translator’s key role in shaping digital humor for diverse audiences.
Keywords: Meme, translation, popular culture.
Objectives
What translation strategies do practitioners use for Indian memes?
How do those strategies reshape humor, cultural reference, and user reception?
What is a Meme?
A meme is a unit of cultural transmission that spreads from person to person through imitation or repetition. Richard Dawkins first coined the term in his 1976 book The Selfish Gene, describing memes as self-replicating cultural units, akin to genes in biology (Dawkins, 1976). Initially, memes were not internet-bound—they have existed for centuries as symbolic modes of expression, such as inside jokes, jingles, or social references
In today’s digital culture, memes are largely visual texts—often images or short videos with superimposed captions—used to convey humor, satire, or commentary. Saint Hoax, a meme creator, defines them as media repurposed to deliver cultural or political messages, often aligned with the zeitgeist.
Brief History and Rise in India
India’s meme culture began gaining prominence with increased access to the internet in the early 2000s. Platforms like Orkut, Facebook, and later Instagram enabled user-generated content to flourish. Early meme trends in India included light humor around Bollywood and regional jokes, evolving into political commentary, social critique, and mass participatory content. Memes like “Gormint Aunty,” “Chai Peelo,” and Bollywood-centric humor like “Hera Pheri” references became viral phenomena, showcasing the localization of meme content. (Nihalani)
In India, memes serve as tools of cultural dialogue and self-expression. They bridge the gap between traditional media and contemporary digital vernacular. With platforms such as Instagram and Twitter, memes are now embedded in political discourse, social commentary, and even branding and marketing strategies. They form a participatory culture, fostering a sense of belonging among youth while shaping public perception.
Theoretical Framework
This study is grounded in two key translation theories: Skopos theory by Hans Vermeer and the domestication/foreignization model by Lawrence Venuti.
Skopos theory (Vermeer, 1989) emphasizes that translation should be guided by its purpose or intended function. In the context of meme translation, the goal could range from entertaining to informing, and the chosen strategy should align with this aim. For example, a meme intended to entertain a global audience may require cultural adaptation to ensure the humor is understood.
Lawrence Venuti’s (1995) framework distinguishes between domestication, which adapts the text to the target culture, and foreignization, which retains elements of the source culture to preserve its originality. These strategies are especially relevant in translating Indian memes, which often contain culturally specific references, idioms, or humor. Translators must decide whether to localize content for accessibility or preserve its original flavor for authenticity.
Together, these theories help analyze how and why meme translations are adapted, recontextualized, or preserved across languages and cultures.
1. "Jaldi bol kal subah Panvel nikalna hai" Meme
This meme features a character Vasooli Bhai pleading dramatically, accompanied by the text "Jaldi bol kal subah Panvel nikalna hai," a line loaded with urgency and mild threat. The humor is amplified by the exaggerated hand gestures, stern expression, and use of bold yellow Devanagari-style captioning. The composition directs the viewer’s attention instantly to the textual punchline, relying on both image-text interplay and visual hierarchy to drive the joke. Here, “Panvel” as a location carries implicit meaning: a far-off place often humorously associated with escape or exile in urban Indian narratives. The joke only lands if the viewer understands both the geographic and cinematic connotation of a place Panvel.
A direct translation like “Speak quickly, I have to leave for Panvel tomorrow morning” strips the line of its menace and rhythm. Literal translations may be semantically accurate but pragmatically flat. Therefore, transcreation is the most fitting strategy—perhaps something like “Spit it out, I’m catching a flight to nowhere tomorrow”—preserving the comic threat and time pressure while localizing references.
Understanding this meme also requires background knowledge of the movie and character dynamics. The humor and intimidation in the original line stem not just from the words, but from the character’s body language, tone, and context within the scene. As suggested in the Multimodal Discourse Analysis framework, meaning emerges from a blend of text, image, layout, and cultural cues—and translation must adjust accordingly.
This punchline has transcended its original setting and become a humorous way to express impatience in everyday Indian life, especially when someone is taking too long and there’s a time crunch. In a high-context culture like India, where shared cinematic references are common, a phrase like this functions as a playful shorthand for “Hurry up, I don’t have all day”—making the meme both linguistically rich and socially relevant.
2. “Dil cheez kya hai, aap meri jaan lijiye / Jaan cheez kya hai, aap mera aashirwad lijiye” Meme
This meme masterfully plays with Bollywood stereotypes and internet irony, forming a visual-textual pun through the juxtaposition of two culturally loaded images. In the first panel, Rekha—an iconic figure of Bollywood romance—delivers her famous poetic line from Umrao Jaan: “Dil cheez kya hai, aap meri jaan lijiye” (“What is a heart? Take my life instead”). The second panel sharply contrasts this with Alok Nath, widely known for his 'sanskaari' (morally upright) roles, offering an unexpected, parody-style reply: “Jaan cheez kya hai, aap mera aashirwad lijiye” (“What is life? Take my blessings instead”).
The humor emerges from semantic inversion and visual dissonance, further supported by timing and panel sequencing, as outlined in Multimodal Discourse Analysis. The use of culturally embedded references is a prime example of what Edward Hall defines as high-context communication, where understanding depends on deep cultural familiarity.
From a translation studies perspective, this meme illustrates Lawrence Venuti’s concept of domestication vs. foreignization. A literal translation of the text might preserve the language but fail to communicate the layered humor, which is deeply tied to Indian pop-cultural consciousness. To make this meme work across cultures, a domestication strategy is required—cultural substitution of both characters and idioms. This aligns with Skopos theory, which prioritizes the purpose of the translation—in this case, to evoke the same comedic and ironic effect in the target audience, even if the textual and visual elements are significantly altered.
Moreover, the meme takes on a darker, satirical tone when contextualized against the backdrop of Alok Nath’s involvement in India’s #MeToo movement. Once hailed as the embodiment of virtue and paternal wisdom in Indian cinema, his image was dramatically re-coded after allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced. This adds a biting layer of dark humor: the phrase “aap mera aashirwad lijiye” (“take my blessings”) becomes uncomfortably ironic, making the meme a subtle form of social commentary on hypocrisy and moral duality in celebrity culture.
In this sense, the meme functions not only as a pop-cultural joke but also as a critical reflection—satirizing the very ideals its characters once symbolized. The translation and interpretation of such a meme require more than linguistic accuracy; they demand cultural literacy and contextual sensitivity.
2. Rasode Me Koun Tha Meme
The meme “Rasode mein kaun tha?” cleverly fuses two icons of Indian pop culture: a melodramatic soap-opera moment featuring Kokila Ben’s famous line (“Who was in the kitchen?”) and the quiz show format of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC). By placing Kokila’s intense expression within the familiar game show setup—with lifelines, timers, and multiple-choice options—the meme turns a petty household accusation into a ₹1 crore question. The humor emerges from this absurd elevation of trivial drama to win money for giving answers to seemingly nonsensical questions , powered by cultural recognition and visual parody.
The meme’s impact depends heavily on multimodal elements: bold fonts, familiar color schemes, and Kokila’s unchanged glare all work together to heighten the joke. But it also relies on high-context knowledge: viewers must know the original soap-opera scene, the significance of “Rashi,” and the aesthetics of KBC. For non-Indian or unfamiliar audiences, this context may be lost—making translation a challenge.
Literal translation preserves structure but can sound awkward (“This Rashi?”). Adaptive versions risk diluting the original charm. A balanced solution is to keep the Hindi text and add a small caption (e.g., “Rashi = daughter-in-law”) to bridge the gap without over-explaining.
Crucially, this meme also reflects the rise of “brain rot” humor online—where meaning takes a backseat to surreal repetition and exaggerated drama. The original soap line was never that deep, yet its remix went viral for being oddly hypnotic and hilariously over-serious. That lack of meaning becomes part of the joke. Translators must recognize that the humor here isn’t just in the words—it’s in the absurdity of treating nonsense with gravity. This meme shows that translating Indian internet humor is about more than words—it’s about preserving vibe, context, and chaos.
Conclusion
This study set out to explore the strategies translators use when adapting Indian internet memes, and how those choices reshape humor, cultural meaning, and audience engagement. The findings suggest that meme translation is a multimodal and deeply contextual process. Literal translations often flatten the joke, while adaptive or caption-based strategies allow humor and intent to survive across cultural borders. Each meme required not just linguistic skill, but cultural sensitivity and creative problem-solving—aligning closely with both Skopos theory and Venuti’s domestication/foreignization model.
Interestingly, the “Rasode mein kaun tha?” meme also illustrated how humor online is increasingly shaped by surreal, “brain rot” aesthetics—where the meaninglessness of content becomes part of the comedic effect. In such cases, translation becomes less about exact replication and more about preserving vibe, tone, and absurdity.
meme translation is less a matter of word-for-word conversion and more an act of cultural storytelling—where the translator is not just a linguistic bridge, but a curator of shared laughter in a digitally fragmented world.
References
Benveniste, Alexis. “What Is a Meme? The Meaning and History.” The New York Times, 14 February 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/26/crosswords/what-is-a-meme.html#. Accessed 17 April 2025.
Catford, J. C. “Translation Shifts”. The Translation Studies Reader. Ed. Lawrence Venuti. London: Routledge, 2000: 141 – 148.
Dawkins, Richard. The Selfish Gene. Oxford University Press, 2016.
Kemppanen, Hannu, et al. “Domestication and Foreignization in Translation Studies.” Frank & Timme. https://www.ciando.com/img/books/extract/3865969690_lp.pdf. Accessed 17 April 2025.
Nihalani, Bishakha. “Meme Culture in India- History, Importance & Famous Memes.” Yeh Hai India, 5 July 2020, https://yehaindia.com/meme-culture-in-india-history-importance-famous-memes/. Accessed 17 April 2025.
Reiss, Katharina, and Hans Josef Vermeer. Towards a General Theory of Translational Action: Skopos Theory Explained. Edited by Marina Dudenhöfer, translated by Christiane Nord and Marina Dudenhöfer, St. Jerome Publishing, 2013.
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