Salman Khan’s sweet appeal to educationist and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk may have been intended as a serious message, but it has instead become one of the internet’s biggest meme moments.
A day after expressing support for the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protests in India over the alleged examination paper leak controversy, the Bollywood superstar urged Wangchuk to end his hunger strike, saying the government’s assurance of action should be given a chance.
In his signature candid style, Salman wrote on social media, “Sonam, it’s done, bro. Don’t extend this. Keep the spirit for another day if there is a need, which I doubt, and eat something. If you want, I will send you food from home.”
He also appealed to students participating in the protests to return home, stating that the Prime Minister had already assured action on the issue.
While the message was aimed at encouraging an end to the protest, it quickly took on a life of its own online.
Social media users seized on the actor’s informal wording, with “Sonam, it’s done, bro” instantly becoming a trending catchphrase.
Within hours, meme pages and fans flooded platforms with jokes, edits and humorous recreations of the post. Many playfully dubbed the actor “Salman Shakespeare,” saying only the superstar could turn a politically charged message into an unforgettable internet moment.
The memes gained further traction after Sonam Wangchuk announced he was ending his 26-day hunger strike following government assurances that no legal action would be taken against protesters who participated in demonstrations at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
Although there is no indication that Salman’s message influenced Wangchuk’s decision, the timing only fuelled the online humour, with countless users joking that the actor had “solved the crisis” with a single tweet.