Social media sees Rosesh Sarabhai in Bilawal Bhutto’s speech, sparks meme frenzy

Fans across social media platforms drew comparisons between Pakistan’s former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and the fictional character Rosesh Sarabhai from the popular Indian sitcom "Sarabhai vs Sarabhai", after a video of Bhutto Zardari’s recent parliamentary address went viral online.

The clip, which showed a portion of Bhutto Zardari’s speech delivered in the Pakistan National Assembly on May 7, sparked widespread amusement, with many netizens noting a striking resemblance in tone and delivery to that of Rosesh — a character famously known for his poetic flair and eccentric articulation.

One user on X (formerly Twitter) shared the video with the caption, “Rosesh from Sarabhai vs Sarabhai.” Another wrote, “Totally, I can see the resemblance.” A third user added, “New meme template.” A fourth comment read, “Such striking similarities. I was wondering where last I’d heard this exact accent.” Yet another user simply remarked, “Perfect caption.”

The timing of the speech was significant, coming shortly after a major military action by India. Dubbed “Operation Sindoor,” the offensive targeted nine terrorist infrastructure sites located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The operation was carried out in retaliation for the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which resulted in the deaths of 26 Indian nationals.

In the wake of the Pahalgam attack, India announced five punitive actions against Pakistan, one of which included the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. The treaty, in effect since 1960, has been a cornerstone of India-Pakistan water-sharing agreements and its suspension marked a major diplomatic shift.