Adhri’s laugh formula

Popular for his innocent humour and presentation, Adhri Joe is one of the most socially responsible content creators in Kerala
Adhri’s laugh formula

KOCHI: Adhri Joe is a familiar name to Malayalis. From exposing our quirks to calling out our hypocrisies with adorable wit and spontaneity, his unique content is one of its kind. Adhri’s latest hit, however, is a Malayalam version of The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber’s song Stay, ‘Kallipenne’, that Malayali romantics have taken to heart. 

Delivered in Adhri’s signature voice, Kallipenne reflects humorously on toxic relationships. The Muvattupuzha native became a digital content creator in 2017 after leaving his job in Singapore. But it was during the lockdown that he really gained popularity. “I left the job to pursue my dream, which was cinema. I loved music, but I also wanted to break the stereotype around serious music and being a serious artist. So I focused on making fun things. Lockdown was a testing time for all of us and as a digital content creator, I felt personally responsible for making people laugh,” quips Adhri.

Careettan, Tata song, Monkey song, Malayalam pick-up lines, Kumbalappam and many more of his short videos have already gone viral. His quirky songs have received thumbs up from celebrities like playback singer Vineeth Sreenivasan, Sithara Krishnakumar, actress Arya and Poornima Indrajith. A quick wit and observation is key to coming up with good content, he says. “I was wondering if my rough voice would suit the kind of music I want to put out, but then I realised it only adds to its uniqueness.

I also make it a point to sing in a female voice. For example, ‘tata’ is something Malayalis very commonly say when they wave goodbye. That became the theme for one of my songs. Such quick ideas pop up in my mind and I work on them further. Monkey song came about when I was getting back home from Munnar. I saw a monkey trying to share a mango with another monkey who ignored him and moved away,” says Adhri.

Though he revels in comedy, Adhri never fails to address social issues through his platform, though subtly and meaning no offence to anyone. The songs, Careettan and Kallipenne hit more than 3.6 million views and 4.3 million views respectively and they talk exclusively about toxic relationships. “Even I have seen toxic relationships in my friends’ circle. The normalisation of toxic behaviour has far-reaching consequences on our society — leading to discrimination and violence. I felt it is important I address these while giving them a humorous twist and making them more consumable to all audience,” says Adhri. 

The youngster’s dream is to act in movies, but his heart is full when he gets good feedback from his audience. “Especially the happy faces I see. When people are struggling with illness or in quarantine, it is nice to know that you have brought about some change in their lives,” he concludes. 

Instagram: @adhri_joe

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