Akshay Kumar Revives ‘Hi Rupa, Naha Liya?’ Meme on Wheel of Fortune India, Crowd Goes Wild

When nostalgia meets perfect comic timing, the internet tends to lose its mind. That’s exactly what happened when Akshay Kumar revived one of Bollywood’s most random yet beloved meme lines - “Hi Rupa, naha liya?” during a recent episode of Wheel of Fortune India.

The iconic line originally comes from the 2006 comedy Bhagam Bhag, directed by Priyadarshan, where Akshay’s character blurts it out mid-chaos. At the time, it was just another absurd gag in line with the film’s frantic humour. But years later, the line took on a life of its own online, becoming a staple reaction meme across WhatsApp groups, Instagram reels and GIF keyboards.

Now, nearly two decades later, Akshay has leaned into the joke.

On the game show stage, the actor surprised the audience by launching into a playful musical riff built around the now-famous phrase. The quirky track had the studio audience erupting in cheers. As soon as the words “Hi Rupa, naha liya?” landed, the crowd instantly recognised the reference and responded with the kind of gleeful chaos only an Akshay Kumar meme can trigger.

Fans in the studio started celebrating the fact that Akshay himself was revisiting the joke that the internet has kept alive for years. For many viewers, it felt like a full-circle moment - a throwaway line from a mid-2000s comedy suddenly being reclaimed by the very actor who delivered it. There is a loyal following of Akshay Kumar’s comic legacy. His early-2000s run of ensemble comedies, including films like Phir Hera Pheri, Welcome, and Bhagam Bhag, has become one of the richest sources of Indian meme culture and happy movies for the internet generation.

By revisiting this on national television, Akshay acknowledged what the internet's hat tip towards him.

And judging by the crowd’s reaction, the meme still lands exactly the way it did the first time, Akshay Kumar style!