Meme Boys Story:-
Meme Boys, now available for streaming on SonyLiv, is a Tamil web series that pays homage to the vibrant social media culture of finding humor in various situations.
In Tamil Nadu, no event, whether it’s related to politics, cinema, or reality TV, escapes being turned into a Vadivelu meme. The people of the state have a knack for finding humor in even the most serious situations. Directed by Arun Koushik and created by Rajiv Rajaram and Drishya, with A Gokul Krishna as the showrunner, Meme Boys embraces this social media phenomenon.
Movie Ratings
Release Date | 22 July 2022 |
Language | Tamil |
Genre | Comedy, Drama |
Episodes | 8 |
Creator | Rajiv Rajaram, Drishya Gautam |
Cast | Guru Somasundaram, Badava Gopi, Siddharth Babu, Aadhitya Bhaskar, Jayanth, Namritha, Nikhil Nair |
Director | Arun Koushik |
Producer | Anuraag Srivastava, Ruchir Joshi |
Production | Rainshine Entertainment |
Certificate | 18+ |
Set in the fictional Apoorva University, a typical engineering college in and around Chennai, the series follows the lives of four students: Mohan Jyothy Babu, also known as Mojo (played by Aadhitya Bhaskar), Karthikeyan, aka Jumbo (portrayed by Siddharth Babu), Srikumar, nicknamed Power (played by Jayanth), and Julie (portrayed by Namritha).
Mojo is expected to take over his family’s grocery store, while Jumbo desires a high-performance laptop that his single mother cannot afford. Their solution to their problems? Winning the meme fest, which offers a substantial cash prize of Rs 10 lakh. However, their motives alone are not enough to drive the plot forward. Enter Dean Narayanan (portrayed by Guru Somasundaram), who becomes the central antagonist.
Drawing inspiration from the classic film Don, Meme Boys sets itself apart by portraying all confrontations with the dean through online battles. The series maintains a deliberately quirky, light-hearted tone, evident in its title card, background score, episode design, editing, and narration. The young actors do their best to infuse humor into their lines, which are often laden with Tamil pop culture references. However, their efforts are sometimes noticeable, detracting from the seamless flow of the narrative.
Guru Somasundaram delivers a solid performance as the authoritarian Narayanan, preventing the character from becoming a mere caricature. Badava Gopi, playing his assistant, does what he can with his role, but the other adult characters on campus, such as the hostel warden and head of security, are trapped in predictable stereotypes.
The success of a meme template hinges on its visual appeal and relevance to the situation. While Meme Boys aims to capture the light yet sharp humor of memes, translating it into a live-action comedy series proves challenging. The show draws on common college experiences like bad cafeteria food and unreasonable curfew hours, which resonate with its target audience of young viewers. However, the humor relies too heavily on witty lines rather than situational comedy. Although some jokes land effectively, the repetitive conflicts and swift resolutions diminish the overall impact.
The pattern becomes predictable: a conflict arises, the Meme Boys respond with a meme, the dean reacts angrily, the conflict is swiftly resolved, and the cycle repeats. This rushed approach leaves little room for depth or development. While the video memes featured in the show are genuinely funny, sustaining the humor over eight episodes requires more substance. The character development feels lacking, relying too heavily on repetitive dialogue. While the plot twist in the final episode adds intrigue, introducing it earlier and giving it more development could have enhanced viewer engagement.
One commendable aspect of Meme Boys is its unapologetic focus on Tamil culture and references. However, this specificity may alienate viewers unfamiliar with Tamil pop culture. In an era where content often aims for broad appeal, Meme Boys stands out for its commitment to cultural authenticity. Nonetheless, stronger writing and imaginative storytelling are needed for the series to reach its full potential.