Iran’s Embassy in India has turned to Bollywood to deliver a pointed message about the United Nations, using one of Indian cinema’s most recognisable characters to question the world body’s ability to act during international conflicts.
In a post shared on X, the embassy juxtaposed Marvel superhero Doctor Strange with Thakur Baldev Singh from the 1975 blockbuster Sholay. The meme carried two contrasting captions: “UN according to school books” and “UN in reality.”
The first image showed Doctor Strange with multiple arms, suggesting a powerful organisation capable of handling several crises at once. The second featured Thakur, played by Sanjeev Kumar in Sholay, whose character loses both arms in the film.
The comparison appeared to suggest that while the UN is often presented as a powerful international institution, its ability to take decisive action can be limited when major conflicts involve powerful countries. The embassy did not mention any particular UN resolution or dispute in the post.
Why Iran used Sholay’s Thakur
The choice of Thakur is particularly recognisable to Indian audiences. In Sholay, Thakur Baldev Singh is a former police officer who loses both his arms and later seeks revenge against the film’s antagonist, Gabbar Singh.
By placing the character alongside Doctor Strange, the meme creates a simple visual contrast between unlimited power and physical helplessness.
The post comes as the role of the United Nations in dealing with major international conflicts continues to face scrutiny. Iran has repeatedly criticised what it considers inadequate international action during its confrontation with the United States and Israel.
The meme was also shared during the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, where world leaders gathered for high-level diplomatic discussions.
Iran’s growing use of memes in Diplomacy
The Sholay post is not an isolated example of Iran using internet humour to communicate its political messages.
In recent months, Iranian embassies and official diplomatic accounts have increasingly relied on memes, movie clips, AI-generated videos and pop-culture references while responding to developments involving the US and the wider conflict.
A study by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) found that Iranian diplomatic and official accounts dramatically increased their activity on X following the beginning of the war. During the first 50 days, the accounts collectively received approximately 900 million views and 22 million likes. The number of shares also rose from about 4.3 million to 76 million when compared with the preceding 50-day period.
