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Brown Paperbag is the name of a series of comics about what it's like growing up in an Indian family. They were created by Sailesh Gopalan, a 21-year-old design student from Mumbai who studies at the Srishti School of Art Design and Technology in Bangalore, and since the comics first appeared in June 2016 they've already amassed a collective following of over 150k people.
The artist describes his comics as "a slice-of-life comedy webcomic aimed at highlighting the ironies and exploiting the stereotypes that prevail in Indian families and society in a satirical fashion," and as you can see from the collection below, they touch upon everything from traditional weddings and clothing etiquette to superstitious moms and embarrassing fathers. Don’t forget to vote for your favourite!
“I've always been interested in drawing comics,” Sailesh told Bored Panda. “I used to fill up my drawing books with my own comics as a kid, and that interest never died out. My biggest inspiration is the manga artist Eiichiro Oda, author of One Piece. When it comes to webcomics, it's Shen, author of Bluechair and Owlturd Comix, as well as Sarah Andersen of Sarah's Scribbles.” When asked what sort of advice he’d give to anybody thinking about starting their own webcomic, Sailesh said “Upload! Don't let your inhibitions keep you from sharing your work with the world. I had no idea my comics would receive the response it did, and the only way I could know is if I put it up on the internet.”
More info: Facebook | Instagram (h/t)
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Exposé
Rithva Menon 5 years ago
Literally my parents don't give a c**p about how short my clothes are, my relatives not so much.
RELATED:
#2
Space Jam
Ramona Dumitrascuta 7 years ago
Same in Romania. We have parks but we cannot walk on the grass and it is full of stray dogs everywhere and it’s pretty dangerous.
#3
Play the Blame Game, Blame the Game Play
Michel M. Prins 8 years ago
Indian family or not, I believe this happened to every child at least once who used a computer
Ok Ha-Neul 8 years ago
my mom blames everything on technogy [me: mommy my stomach hurts My mom: well if you spent less time of your phone your stomach wouldn't hurt ]
Blue wolf 8 years ago
Me: mom I got stabbed on the way home. Mom: well maybe if you stopped playing on your computer so much, people wouldn't stab you!
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Rithva Menon 5 years ago
This literally never happened to me, nothing of this kind. I am Indian.
#4
Pryvacy
Rithva Menon 5 years ago
I have guy friends over all the time, we go upstairs and my parents don't even bother to check on us.
Too Lazy To Care 🐼 8 years ago
This sounds like my dad in the future if I ever bring anyone over.
Marianne Larsen 7 years ago
Do you have a touch of OCD if you get annoyed egen you almisser instantly see, that the door opens differently I the third picture?🧐
Marianne Larsen 7 years ago
Sorry, wrong keyboard. Should have said: annoyed when you almost instantly see....
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#5
Profeign
Crafty Critter 4 years ago
parent: does something bad child: copies it parent: you're so bad, you are grounded for a month child: but yo did it fir- parent: now you are talking back, now you are grounded for two months
#6
Appa-rel
Chris Primosch 7 years ago
My dad is German-American, but I completely identify wirh this. When my best friend of 20y met my dad he was in his underwear LOL.
Jesus Wäre 8 years ago
My girl friend's parents walked in on me drinking a milkshake watching tv in my only my underwear
#7
Confidon't
Kawaii Lemon 8 years ago
Me: "I like this guy" Parents: *Laugh even though they're married* Brother: *Laughs even thought he has a girlfriend* Me: "What the f**k" Parents and brother: "Watch your mouth, you little s**t"
Miss Agarwal 8 years ago
I don't tell even my best is, she'll tease me...
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Moksha Shrivastava 4 years ago
No, it's actually a matter of choice actually.
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#8
Cop a Feel
Alex Zion 8 years ago
This sort of thing happens pretty much everywhere, I think. Maybe not the fine, but women being victim-blamed when people are harassing / assaulting them happens all the time.
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#9
Empathy-patnee
Miss Agarwal 8 years ago
*cough* *cough* not to my mom. I am lucky, I guess.
Load More Replies... #10
Didn't Work Out
Farnaz Khoshbakht 8 years ago
when will guys understand that girls don't care that much about their appearance! if there are 5 things they care about in guys, their look is the 3th at best chance ....
Herro Yung 8 years ago
What about all brain with no brawn? That's what I am.
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Jeremie Matte 7 years ago
Guys work out to impress other guys, girls wear make up and expensive cloths to impress other girls
#11
Follow My Dreams, Son
Anne Madag 8 years ago
we are same, my parents want me to finish Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and yes I finish that course, but I want is to be accountant and yes my job now is payment operator, i don't care what they want, I will follow what I want :D
Load More Replies... Rithva Menon 5 years ago
My parents don't force me to choose who I want to be. Not many Indian parents are like that.
Amanda Grace 7 years ago
Hey now, look on the bright side, this way you don’t end up with every part of your body broken by the time you are forty!
Koko Sempai 8 years ago
Relatable sadly... but still.... I SHALL BE WHATEVER I WANT TO BE ! DDAAAAAAAADDDDDDDD!!!!! >: D
Abhisek Chakraborty 8 years ago
This would not have happened had we had enough exposure on parallel occupations in the country. I don't really blame the parents here.
#12
MissTrust
Patrick Davies 8 years ago
I remember talking with my sister about the double standard that she faced, when compared to the way that my brother and I were treated. Our mother is a self described feminist, and she still kept a far tighter rein on my sister then on either of us boys.
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Ποιητικό Αίτιο 8 years ago
How do they expect the boy to go out with a girl, but not the girl to go out with a boy? o.O
Brenda Olano 8 years ago
I'm not indian but still... this makes me feel lucky , Damn I'm so glad I was never treated differently than my bros.
Herro Yung 8 years ago
I'm Indian and my sister gets to go out much more than I do. She is only 1 year older than me as well. Just because this comic says something, it doesn't make it true. Perhaps people will read this and become less triggered at the apparent double standard.
Angie Thomasina 8 years ago
It's called double standards ... if it was safety the boy would be told to stay in too... duh!
#13
Bargain or Loss
Limin Huang 8 years ago
This is sad.. We don't bargain when it's about branded expensive objects but for sellers on the streets we will bargain even when it's cheap compared to what we buy in the malls...
Achmad Sudibyo 8 years ago
if i had the right amount, i never bargain i just leave when don't have.
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Karolína Szabó 8 years ago
i have it the other way... i spend too much on food but then my heart bleeds when i have to buy cheap t-shirt
Kawaii Lemon 8 years ago
Mom: *Buys everything in store* Me: Hey mom can I have this 78 cent candy bar? Mom: No we can't afford it Me (In head): What the f**k
Viki Banaszak 8 years ago
I had some Indian ladies come in to a frame shop that I worked at and they tried to do this to me. I'm like, you don't understand, I can't do that. I just work here. They are serious in their desire to bargan.....for everything!
Mark Kelly 8 years ago
I live in Canada and Indian bargaining is awful. I did landscaping and the East Indian customers would almost always try an bargain down or try and get us to do more work for the same pay. Sometimes they are sneaky about it and ask me to do it and not my boss but I know better and always tell my boss.
Samuel Zhao 4 years ago
Mom: spends hundreds in clothes/ purses she will rarely use Me: Requests a 20$ video game I will probably play all weekend long Mom: No
Emelie Undine 8 years ago
Same in Sweden and when ppl are buying second hand stuff. They dont want to pay anything.
#14
Pee-dee-ay
Aish Siva 8 years ago
What's worse is when we have movies upholding these ridiculous ideas that people-even married people-shouldn't even hold hands. WTH?
#15
Load Rash
Hyodo widger 8 years ago
Lol India is another world, I've been there for 3 months for work, I saw some amazing stuff xd
Mark Kelly 7 years ago
ha ha. In Canada you'd get fines and your kids taken away for that in a second.
Jon Balaos 8 years ago
I see this same thing happening here in my country. And they make laws about it but no one is upholding it.
Pat 8 years ago
Where is mama & the kids helmets? Plus he is way overloaded. So who has less respect for the lives of other people.
Herro Yung 8 years ago
Dude, that is literally the joke. You don't need to spell it out for us.
Load More Replies... cloudykook 3 years ago
Canada is a first-world country, of course, it doesn't happen. India is a third-world country, and stuff like this happens.
Load More Replies... #16
Mucho Guesto
Wezbie 8 years ago
You make fun of your mother doing it until you grow up and realise you have started doing the same XD
Catalina Ioan 8 years ago
Paying extra attention when she's the one visiting :D
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Débora Gualberto 8 years ago
I'm not indian and my mother is the same, except she forced me to help (and i always complained about it)... Aaaand, (what Wezbie said up there:) now i'm the same............
Moksha Shrivastava 4 years ago
Mark Kelly, don't you dare tell me this doesn't happens in Canada
Catherine Schultis 7 years ago
S**t... My mother did this... 1 hour to company... House MUST be HOME and GARDENS.... 😂😂😂😂
Lena Lochner 7 years ago
My mom. Every time. Sometimes she gets so hyped that my dad leaves the house. And I’m not Indian, I’m German.
#17
Practise What You Teach
Anna Thouvenin 8 years ago
This happened in my school too. The teacher said "class time is my time". Ehhh
#18
Chivalruse
*~Alexandrianna~* 8 years ago
When my little brother hangs out with older guys this is what he says he does with me.
Kristen Hdz 7 years ago
I guess flipping them off would escalate the situation in the wrong way for the girl. Terrible behavior.
Herro Yung 8 years ago
Why are people disliking this comment? The comic was, in a way, funny.
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Herro Yung 8 years ago
Your mind is either disgusting or completely inept.
Load More Replies... #19
Can't Be Left Alone
Memymo68 3 years ago (edited)
*was a bunch of nonsense* Edit: dont discriminate :)
Load More Replies... Wezbie 8 years ago
It is so weird how humans feel the need to have hangups about the simplest things! I can understand it from a hygene reason originally but out of superstition in this day and age - c'mon! My bro is a leftie but luckily, we never lived in a place where that was considered weird
Anne Madag 8 years ago
my younger sister is a left handed but my parents want her to used her right handed if she eating and giving money or getting the money, other than that, she use her left handed.
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SUMO 8 years ago
It's a funny comic and all, but it is still pretty normal to use the left hand instead of toilet paper. Maybe there is some superstition to it, but it is still very much for hygene. The guy making these comments might have a toilet and toilet paper, but the people judging him might not.
Sweep the Leg 8 years ago
Yes, it does. I was eating lavas (I'm left handed) and I was scolded by an old man, even though he knew I was a foreigner :(
Load More Replies... darkbora999 8 years ago
I'm not Indian but a Moslem, a left-handed since birth and up until now still use tools and eat with my left hand. This comic pretty much sums up my life. Good thing is my family doesn't treat me like an oddball, so I can be strong facing society :)
Marysia Jawłowska 8 years ago
Yeah, ok, however eating is the only one where it would make any difference if you're using a dominant hand or the other. And even that isn't really a big deal.
#20
Tradishunned
Mark Kelly 8 years ago
What happened when I went to an Indian wedding. I'm white and the spicy shrimp burned my a*****e.
Mark Kelly 7 years ago
True. Here in Canada I was at an East Indian wedding and the spicey shrimp made my a*****e burn.
Thegreatcountryofverden 7 years ago
This is why i hate modern music. Here's a music 1000000 times better than whatever's being played here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHcunREYzNY Scratch that, here's another: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2S1I_ien6A
#21
Escapegoat
Emma Perkins 8 years ago
Omg I do this to my dad all the time! Anything to save myself from mom's wrath.
T Gwen Plaza 8 years ago
I remember when I was a kid and did something to anger my mother. She chased me with a broomstick to spank me with. My dad was reading a newspaper at that time so I ran to him for rescue. I climbed on his lap and squeezed between his arms for shelter. So my angry mom hit him with the broomstick instead of me surprising my dad. Upon realisation, my mom laughed and forgot she was angry at me.
Herro Yung 8 years ago
Okay, you triggered 12 year old girls don't have to dislike just because you think this comment reeks of sexism.
Load More Replies... #22
Blooperstition
Master Markus 8 years ago
That's an odd superstition. A lot of people do grooming at night where I live (Canada).
김지수 8 years ago
In Korea, apparently, rats eat the fingernail clippings and turn into a clone of you, stealing your whole life :D
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Abhisek Chakraborty 8 years ago
Well this superstition was born out of the practice of thousands of years back when we did not have electric lights and sophisticated nail clippers and hence cutting nails after sunset (in the dark) could be dangerous. Makes sense, doesn't it?
Aish Siva 8 years ago
We used to avoid cutting nails, sweeping, looking in the mirror, sowing...etc in the night because it is hard to see and easy to hurt yourself in the dark after the sun goes down. That is no longer applicable because we have lights and electricity, yet the superstition persists because no one takes time to understand or TEACH kids WHY we do what we do!
moonsong23 8 years ago
Wait... Looking in the mirror? Not trying to be rude, but can someone clarify?
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Miss Agarwal 8 years ago
In oldendays, when people didn't have lights, it was dangerous to cut nails after dark (you might cut a part of your skin!) That's the reason. I am an Indian and my mom doesn't mind if I cut nails after dark.
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Chloe Crouch-Lepoidevin 7 years ago
I'm in Australia and I cut my nails Day and night more so at night as I'm a night owl
Rina Ryuka 8 years ago
This is a superstition my mom and my grandmother believed in. Though there's nothing wrong with just following and respecting it right?
#23
You've Goatee Be Kidding Me
#24
Shareolder
Kira Thesloth 8 years ago
I'd rather have the grandma. I got my sister as my roomate and she never let me sleep!
#25
Technapology
Catherine Schultis 7 years ago
Mom here... Grew up with technology... Can diagnose your android without seeing it. 😜😜😜😜😜😜
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ChinmayGhule 4 years ago
It depends. In lower middle class families usually the middle aged people aren't tech savvy.
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#26
Maidriarchy
#27
Turmedic
Zachary Hayes 8 years ago
I guess turmeric paste is the Indian Vick's (Latinos will understand)
*~Alexandrianna~* 8 years ago
I'm not Latino, but I get it. That's my grandma's cure-all.
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Person2638 8 years ago
I know right! 'Haldi this,' 'haldi that.' My mom would use haldi to cure a headache.
Raúl Soto-Vélez 7 years ago
Same as Hispanic moms with Vic's VapoRub. I HATE that cursed thing
girlsrock4ever 2 years ago
I'm Indian and I get that. Plus, it never even helped (significantly...).
Load More Replies... Kira Thesloth 8 years ago
Turmeric actually has been shown to provide anticancer benefits. Not enough studies have been done to declare proof, but in this type of study, that's nearly impossible.
Maladicta42 8 years ago
My mother does this and we are not even Indian; she just likes turmeric
#28
Chat's What I'm Talking About
Kira Thesloth 8 years ago
I go to a large university in a big city...it's crazy how bad the students are! I've seen so many near fatalities because of it! I almost hit a kid the other day because he didn't think he had watch the road. I didn't have one but his street did so i didn't expect a car to whoosh by, let alone a kid rising a kick scooter while listening to headphones and talking! He never once looked up or forward & i had to slam my breaks when i did see him, causing me to nearly get hit. He still didn't look up! My friend was hospitalized after being run over by a kid who was texting while riding his bicycle. Everyone thinks they are good at it, but no one actually is!
Kira Thesloth 8 years ago
*i meant to say I didn't have a stop sign but the side street did.
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Evilina Meanie 8 years ago
But we can't see his other hand 😉 He's texting with that one
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#29
Trickshaw
#30
Maid 'Fore Each Other
Amolika Pardeshi 8 years ago
Well, almost all middle and upper class households employ maids for cooking and/or cleaning. So it's designated responsibility of one of the in-house residents to open the door whenever the maid comes over. We don't trust them with our house keys, so.. you know..
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Moksha Shrivastava 4 years ago
MOST non Indians won't get it (no offenses) by the way the thing is that he has to stay back as to open the door for the maid as he's the only one at the house but he wanna go hang out with the girl
Amolika Pardeshi 8 years ago
Well, almost all middle and upper class households employ maids for cooking and/or cleaning. So it's designated responsibility of one of the in-house residents to open the door whenever the maid comes over. We don't trust them with our house keys, so.. you know..
#31
Lies and Receipt
Vale Af 8 years ago
I bought one of those bags back in my hometown and the next time I went to the store with my bag, they wouldn't let me get in with it 😒 They gave me everything in plastic bags and I had to put them all on the green bag that the security guard kept for me back at the entrance. Stupid af
Jaclyn 8 years ago
Where is your hometown? That's a very strange policy. I always use my reusable bags at the grocery store.
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Moksha Shrivastava 4 years ago
First off it's Ganga and why don't YOU show us all the forests and river that you destroyed to create smart city??
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#32
Passive-Aggressive
Frédérique Lesaffre 8 years ago
true.. and then they even throw them on the ground when they are done. The police should arrest people like that.
Evilina Meanie 8 years ago
I can't stand people who smoke. They are killing the environment and people like me who have asthma 😢
#33
Crossroads
#34
Focus-Pocus
Evilina Meanie 8 years ago
This happens to me too lol It's all because you don't get any time to sleep and day dream.
#35
Scoopidity
Pat 8 years ago
That is the way it is in countries where women are worth less than the animals.
cloudykook 3 years ago
It's not the fact that they're women, it's that Salman Khan is worshipped like a god.
Load More Replies... Pruthvi Patel 4 years ago
this is a little bit false because most news papers have their sports section on the last 2 pages of the paper so we win a big event it will occupy the whole page but only in the sports sections. it wont be front page
#36
Days of Feature Past
Rina Ryuka 8 years ago
omg. My dad uses an old phone because it has FM radio as well. take note: he's an owner of a cellphone and computer repair shop business.
Kuraija Meni 8 years ago
I actually used a FM and was really disappointed to see all latest models switch to "Internet radio only for you from now".
Rithva Menon 5 years ago
"son, where is the wire that connects the phone to the wall?" "Mom, this is the latest model, it doesn't need a wire, "But my old phone had it! What was the point of spending all that money on this so-called "latest" model?
cloudykook 3 years ago
No, we're still stuck in 1899 watching white people rob our country and enslave us.
Load More Replies... #37
Stray Hungry, Stray Foolish
Pi... 8 years ago
You can't really generalize... animal cruelty is rampant in all countries. And there are animal lovers in all countries too.
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#38
Outfit In
Smoofy 8 years ago
I've seen people do this. It really sucks when they judge others for what they wear, but then don't want others to judge them.
Kiah Alpen 7 years ago
They aren't asking to not be judged. Just to be allowed.
Load More Replies... Signe Manat Hansen 8 years ago
First of all, because women don't rape and murder each other for wearing ugly clothes.
Marysia Jawłowska 8 years ago
Whoa, could you send me an invitation to the world in which you're living? Or directions at least.
Load More Replies... Báirén Sǐwáng 8 years ago
One is where the "society" decides what to wear to prevent "misshappenings" while not doing anything about the "accidents" while the other portraits something that can be taken care of by healthy self-confidence and non-biased institiution.
yogiraj kolhatkar (yogi) 2 years ago
Lol. If women are as strong minded as they always tell everyone, they just shouldn't care what other brainless PPL say about them
DanielaChan 7 years ago
Not true. I worked with men, and they are even worse. Men around 40' always complains about how fat that woman is, how she is dressed, that her shoes doesn't match with her dress... Well at least that is in my country, Chile
#39
Late Night Shenanigans
Here to Troll 8 years ago
That would be part of the joke. Good job picking up on that one.
Load More Replies... #40
Mint Money
Ava Masumi 8 years ago
Same in Iran 😒 I always ask for chewing gums. At least they don't taste like chemically flavored sugar.
Nikki Han 8 years ago
in Indonesia too, they give candy as the change and if I ask for the money, not the candy they said that they "didn't have a small change/ small money." The worst is the candy's taste is usually not tasty at all
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Anna Thouvenin 8 years ago
In India, when a shopkeeper doesn't have the remaining change, they will give candies as compensation.
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Đen Nguyễn 8 years ago
it's a s****y practice, here, in everysingle convenience store, even though they have the small changes, they'd still usually give you candies or treats instead - and you can get a whole full bag of those for only like 50 cents
Milena Matic 8 years ago
hahhaha... same in Serbia, we even made T-shirts with "neću žvaku, hoću kusur!" (I don't want gum, I want my change!)
#41
Xmas Xploit
Dhananjay Roy 8 years ago
Major festival days in India the charges for calls and messages are premium plus. The calls and messages are routed via Jupiter's natural satellite Europa
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Chloe Crouch-Lepoidevin 7 years ago
At Christmas time my phone company gives us double data and unlimited calls and texts
समिर खिलारी 8 years ago
Yes.... SMS have different rates on the festive day.... Ppl send SMSs a day before n write "in advance".... Lol...
cloudykook 3 years ago
May shock you to learn that Christians also live in India
Load More Replies... #42
Brushed Aside
#43
Priorities
Master Markus 8 years ago
I never realize how little people care about cricket in much of the west until I hear the Indians talk about it.
Person2638 8 years ago
Yeah...my mom taught me to love cricket and now we are mouring the loss of Dhoni as captain.
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#44
Diplomadness
Silent Skeleton 8 years ago
my dad got his nose broken by his friend on accident when he tried to stop a fight
Kirsten Lee 8 years ago
my dad got in a bar fight once idk why but the guy broke a bottle and almost cut his eye thank god nothing much worse but the funny part is once when i was little i punched my dad in the face okay maybe not funny but still lol i was little at the time.
#45
Buzzkill
#46
Happy Birthday
Eglė Liubinaitė 8 years ago
Birthday. Before - you get presents, everybody buys you sweets, you are a happiest thing in the Earth. Now - You have to invite and entertain guests, buy them sweets, take care if they get drunk or if they vomit. (Atleast you get presents.)
Kawaii Lemon 8 years ago
Birthday for me - Before: I used to get one thing I wanted, and I got a happy birthday song Birthday for me - Now: No present except what I buy with the money my grandparents give me and no happy birthday song because my parents hate me now for whatever reason :'(
Load More Replies... *stabs cutely* 2 years ago
It my b day tomorrow and I should be asleep but I’m scrolling bp lol
#47
Heat and Run
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Neeraj Jha 8 years ago
I hope that accent is of Raj from TBBT and not of Appu from The Simpsons. Because we surely don't sound like the latter.
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Muhammad Adil Khan 8 years ago
Haha very accurate ! Especially the ones about the parents.... Im actually from Pakistan but its same here as in India.... well done mate...
just a thought 8 years ago
It's so sad that this is the reality and I couldn't laugh at them... Just couldn't ..
Neeraj Jha 8 years ago
I hope that accent is of Raj from TBBT and not of Appu from The Simpsons. Because we surely don't sound like the latter.
Load More Replies... Muhammad Adil Khan 8 years ago
Haha very accurate ! Especially the ones about the parents.... Im actually from Pakistan but its same here as in India.... well done mate...
just a thought 8 years ago
It's so sad that this is the reality and I couldn't laugh at them... Just couldn't ..
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