- Fariha Farrukh's podcast comments on South Asian food went viral on social media platforms
- She called traditional dishes like biryani and daal chawal unhealthy and described them as poison
- Her exaggerated reactions to these foods sparked widespread memes and humorous online content
Pakistani journalist and content creator Fariha Farrukh has unexpectedly become one of the internet's biggest talking points after a podcast appearance sparked a flood of memes, jokes, and heated debates across social media. Over the past few days, clips from her appearance on YouTuber Adeel Asif's podcast have spread rapidly across Instagram, Facebook, and X, racking up millions of views in both Pakistan and India.
The viral moment began when Farrukh spoke about her eating habits and dislike for several traditional South Asian dishes. During the conversation, she described foods such as biryani, nihari, and daal chawal as unhealthy for her lifestyle and even referred to such meals as "zeher" (poison) for her.
"Haan, mai regular khaana nahi khaati, mujhe desi khaana zeher lagta hai," she said in the video.
What caught viewers' attention even more than her comments were her over-the-top reactions. Whenever dishes like daal chawal or nihari were mentioned, Farrukh visibly winced, repeatedly saying "ew" and "oh please" and expressing discomfort. Those expressions quickly took on a life of their own online.
Watch the video here:
For many South Asians, daal chawal is more than just a meal. It's comfort food, a household staple and often the go-to dish after a long day. So when Farrukh reacted to it with visible disgust, social media users couldn't resist. Within hours, people clipped her animated reactions, adding humorous captions and creating parody videos. Memes comparing her expressions to everyday situations flooded social media feeds, turning the interview into a viral sensation.
Many viewers found the clips unintentionally funny, while others criticised the comments as elitist or disconnected from the food habits of ordinary households.
A separate remark from the interview also drew attention online.,While discussing food preferences, Farrukh questioned how a girl would look while eating goat meat, saying, "Larki bakra khati hui kya hi lagegi."The comment triggered another wave of reactions, with many users mocking the statement through memes and parody content.
Who Is Fariha Farrukh?
Long before becoming a meme sensation, Farrukh was known primarily for her work in journalism and political analysis.
According to her LinkedIn profile, she is a Pakistani TV presenter, journalist, defence and geopolitics commentator, and digital content creator. She holds a Master's degree in Political Science and a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from Punjab University.
Farrukh has written for publications including the Daily Times and hosts her own digital programme, Coffee with Fariha. She is also associated with 360 Digital English, where she discusses regional politics, military affairs and Pakistan's foreign policy relations with countries such as India, China, and the United States.
On Instagram, she has more than 2.8 lakh followers.
In addition, she has been involved in international peace advocacy initiatives and has served as an assistant global coordinator for the Global Peace Alumni Network.
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