Who is Contractor Neasamani and why is the world praying for him?

In a few hours, #Pray_for_Neasamani became a worldwide trend, with even politicians and celebrities jumping into the fun.

Flix Kollywood

The power of Tamil Twitter was once again on full display as a hashtag began trending in Chennai on Wednesday afternoon. The hashtag #Pray_for_Neasamani requested people on social media to pray for someone called Neasamani and quickly gathered traction. By Wednesday night, it was among the top trends in the world.

There were three guys always plotting against Neasamani. First, they carried him on the bed while he's sleeping and beat him.

Second, one of them deliberately dropped a hammer on his head.

Third, they tied his legs with rope and slid him along the ground. #Pray_for_Neasamani pic.twitter.com/yA2QEamXkf — George Vijay Addict (@VijayIsMyLife) May 29, 2019

Who is Neasamani, the rest of India asked.

For the uninitiated, Neasamani is nothing short of an icon in Tamil popular culture. Contractor Neasamani is a character played by comedian Vadivelu in the Tamil film Friends in 2001. This film, a remake of a Malayalam film by the same name, had Vijay, Suriya, Devayani and others in the star cast.

How did it all start?

#Pray_for_Neasamani trended after a Pakistan-based meme page Civil Engineering Learners posed a question, “What is the name of the tool in your country?” by posting a photo of a hammer.

An overenthusiastic Vadivelu fan was quick to connect the hammer with a scene from Friends, in which Contractor Neasamani ends up with an injury because one of his inept assistants (Ramesh Kanna) drops a hammer on his head after failing to follow the simplest of instructions. The humour in the scene is accentuated by the poker-faced expressions of Vijay and Suriya, who play second fiddle to Vadivelu.

After the user connected the hammer to Neasamani, another Tamil Facebook user, mockingly wrote, “Is he ok?” Now these two decided to rib the entire Facebook culture of praying for someone with #Pray_for_Neasamani which later snowballed into a major Twitter trend with memes and funny responses.

Soon the hashtag began to gather traction on Twitter and many more Tamil users participated in the fun. The trend really took off when celebrities and official handles of organisations also decided to pay their tribute to the unforgettable Neasamani.

Even Apollo Hospital was pulled in, with fake health bulletins on Neasamani's health reminding one of the days when former CM J Jayalalithaa was hospitalised there.

#Pray_for_Neasamani

Apollo hospitals has issued press release about Contractor Nesamani's pic.twitter.com/og8woG1w7d — மாட்டுக்கறி வெறியன் (@Syed_Jigathi) May 29, 2019

Neasamani everywhere

Journalists and news editors also jumped into the Neasamani frenzy.

My uncle's friend who is a doctor in that hospital says that #Nesamani is doing fine. I have a very strong source in that hospital #Pray_for_Neasamani — Shabbir Ahmed (@Ahmedshabbir20) May 29, 2019

Hope u have assigned senior reporters to cover the hospital news. Round the clock coverage must. Track his health condition closely. #Pray_for_Neasamani — Karthigaichelvan S (@karthickselvaa) May 29, 2019

Shri Modiji consoles Thiru OPS who broke down after visiting Nesamani at the hospital. #Pray_for_Neasamani pic.twitter.com/WsWukp7jjl — Navmi (@navmikrishna) May 29, 2019

Neasamani supporters have signed https://t.co/Ib1HNqhL1C petition to remove suthiyal from Communist party symbol. #Pray_for_Neasamani pic.twitter.com/a5WrEDKzlx — Shilpa Nair (@NairShilpa1308) May 29, 2019

Hope Nesamani is not in this hospital. #Pray_for_Neasamani https://t.co/RV85qOuHrL — D Suresh Kumar (@dsureshkumar) May 29, 2019

Anyone asking 'Who is Nesamani' is unnecessarily insulting Tamil emotions. Just shut up and #Pray_for_Neasamani — Dharani Thangavelu (@DharaniT) May 29, 2019

But it wasn’t just journalists, political leaders too weren’t immune to the Neasamani phenomenon.

When one Twitter user threatened to boycott elections if politicians don’t voice their support to Neasamani, DMK MLA TRB Rajaa quipped, “I am going to tonsure my head at 10 am.” Rajaa said that he’d perform several other rituals for Neasamani's recovery.

Oyyyyooooo #Pray_for_Neasamani

Sollitten

Kalaila 10 manikku annanukaaga mottai ... 12 manikku mann soru ... Evening thee mithi https://t.co/zD2ghBccCA — T R B Rajaa (@TRBRajaa) May 29, 2019

DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai, who often accuses PM Narendra Modi of bias against Tamil Nadu, cheekily wrote, “Will our PM visit the hospital to enquire about the health condition of Contractor Nesamani. Or will he atleast send a tweet#Pray_for_Neasamani is he doing this only cos Nesamani is from TN. What if Nesamani was from Gujarat????”

Will our PM visit the hospital to enquire about the health condition of Contractor Nesamani. Or will he atleast send a tweet #Pray_for_Neasamani is he doing this only cos Nesamani is from TN. What if Nesamani was from Gujarat???? — Saravanan Annadurai (@asaravanan21) May 29, 2019

Tamil Twitter drags in AIADMK

The trend took potshots at the AIADMK as netizens made fun of former spokesperson CR Saraswathi who had claimed that late CM Jayalalithaa was fine and had eaten idlis.

JUST IN: C. R. Saraswathi releases photos of Contractor Neasamani eating Idly after the treatment. #Pray_for_Neasamani pic.twitter.com/Q59rH8VRoI — Alex Livingston (@AlexLivin24) May 29, 2019

#Pray_for_Neasamani



Live Update: London doctor Richard Beale came to Chennai Apollo to treat Nesamani. pic.twitter.com/XpWEDIr6ZS — Mohamed Yaseen (@Mohamed45183646) May 29, 2019

Follower of Neasamani perform prayers and offering for speedy recovery of his health. #Pray_for_Neasamani pic.twitter.com/7Q1nu0MH08 — Thala Veriyan Sandy (@Sandosh_N) May 29, 2019

Popular brands pitch in

While Twitter was exploding with emotions for one man, could brands be left behind?

While KTV, an entertainment channel which is a part of the Sun network, promoted another movie using Neasamani as a prop, Chennai Super King claimed that Dhoni could have saved Neasamani with his superhuman reflexes.

The man who did this to Contractor Nesamani is hiding in Sardarji Maaruvesham!



பஞ்சதந்திரம் now running on #KTV #Pray_for_Neasamani pic.twitter.com/uleYMfFeCY — K TV (@KTVTAMIL) May 29, 2019

The only man who could've saved Contractor Nesamani with his Epic Reaction Time is now in England! #Thala #Yellove #Pray_for_Neasamani PC: @BCCI pic.twitter.com/oJMWWBlCfu — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) May 29, 2019

Nippon India didn’t let go off the opportunity of a free advertising campaign to promote their products.

We so wish Krishnamurthy was as professionally trained as our PRO Store painters to have avoided causing this injury.



We wish Neasamani a speedy recovery. #Pray_For_Neasamani



Visit our PRO Stores for professional painting services in Chennai, Coimbatore & Trichy. #Nipponpaint pic.twitter.com/hxKF59VXjt May 29, 2019

Undoubtedly, Vadivelu is one of the most iconic Tamil comedians. Though he hasn’t been active in films of late, his old films have made such a deep impression in the minds of the Tamil audience that most of his dialogues have turned into memes. As one Twitter user Paviraksha said, “Vadivelu is deeply interwoven into Tamil culture and our everyday lives.”

Watch the iconic scene here: