The humour in tragedy

The low-key head of a pharma firm making the pill that pulled people through discomfort during infection and vaccination, is tickled that it has inspired memes

If there was one thing that overtook the popularity of dalgona coffee and banana bread on social media during the Coronavirus-induced lockdowns, it was Dolo 650, an analgesic (pain killer) and antipyretic (fever-reducing) tablet that addresses flu-like symptoms. Social media creators managed to turn the humble paracetamol into a larger-than-life meme star during the third Coronavirus wave headlined by the highly transmissible Omicron variant.  

A flurry of memes flooded Twitter with wit: Pehle Polo, ab Dolo. There was another one with the face of Nawazudin Siddiqui with the line, kabhi kabhi lagta hai, apun-ich vaccine hai, alluding to the famous line from Sacred Games where Siddiqui’s character, don Ganesh Gaitonde compares himself to God.

“It’s just a paracetamol!” shrugs Dilip Surana, founder of Bengaluru-based Micro Labs, its manufacturer. “I didn’t expect the memes. They were funny and encouraging. We didn’t indulge in any promotion or advertising; we didn’t encourage them either, but it spiralled out of control. 

Today, when we meet friends, we hear some of them point to us and say, ‘Dolo wale hain’. Some even request for a picture with us. I keep a very low profile; and my uncle and brother who I work with, are worse,” says Surana, 55.

Well wishers from the industry have been sending them congratulatory messages. “Last week, our local manufacturers demanded a celebration party. That was odd but we did honour their 
request,” he laughs. Has he had a taste of his own medicine? Yes, but it wasn’t until recently when he experienced flu-like symptoms.

Micro Labs is a family-run firm that was started by his father GC Surana in 1973. In 1987, Surana, then 20, joined him after a graduate degree in Commerce. 

The journey has seen them go from five products to 400 and the staff strength grow to 5,000 people.

Although the medicine has been available together with other antipyretic medicines for viral infection, their business saw a 210 per cent growth during the pandemic. Data shows, claims Surana, that it was present in 47 per cent medical bills generated across India.

In order to meet the demand, Surana diversified from one plant to three. This week, he says, they make a Middle East debut.

Despite the grimness that surrounded the pandemic, Surana is glad for the humour. We are often asked, ‘Kya milate ho?’ Some have compared it to the zarda in  paan. It’s all bizarre.”

And what’s his favourite meme? The one with a picture of Tamil superstar Rajnikath popping a pill with a swing of his arm in characteristic style.

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