'Don't be a minimum guy': Odisha jumps on 'Family Man' meme bandwagon to create vaccine awareness

BHUBANESWAR:  The health department in Odisha has joined the meme fest on popular web series 'The Family Man', as it sought to drive home the message that people should take COVID-19 vaccines at the earliest.

'The Family Man' is a multilingual action thriller that follows the exploits of a terror investigating agency official, fronted by actor Manoj Bajpayee, who balances his high-risk job with responsibilities at home.

"When it comes to your protection from COVID-19 infection, 'don't be a minimum guy'," the health department tweeted on Friday.

The dialogue from the latest season of the web series was frequently uttered by the boss of a company, where Bajpayee's character 'Srikant Tiwari' worked briefly.

The department also stressed that one should take the jab even if he or she follows all COVID-19 protocols, posting another meme to put across its point.

"Chellam sir, I wear (a) facemask and sanitise my hands frequently. Do I need to get COVID-19 vaccine?" Bajpayee's character asks over the phone in a collage of two photos.

"Yes Srikant. Take both doses of COVID-19 vaccine within (the) recommended gap to stay safe from COVID-19," responds 'Chellam sir', another character from the series played by actor Udayabhanu Maheshwaran.

Chellam sir is a retired spy who gives a breakthrough to Srikant every time he hits a roadblock in his mission in the Amazon Prime Video series.

The character is now a national rage and the subject of several viral memes.

Odisha, till June 24, has inoculated 1.09 crore people, of which 19.26 lakh have taken both the doses, according to the Union Health Ministry data.