Puma or Upma? Shoe 'Faking' Popular Sports Brand Comes With Desi Twist No One Expected

Imitations of high-end, branded goods featuring clever wordplay akin to the originals have become a familiar phenomenon. From ‘Adidas’ being reimagined as ‘Abibas’ or ‘Adibas’, to ‘Bisleri’ undergoing a transformation into ‘Bilseri’ and beyond, Indians have become adept at discerning fake products or even embracing them as budget-friendly alternatives. However, a recent addition to this trend took the game to a whole new level of amusement, introducing a flavorful twist that caught everyone off guard.

Recently featured on ‘X’ by user @sanjeevsanyal, a photograph showcased a shoe claiming to be a knockoff of ‘Puma’, but with the unexpected inscription of ‘Upma’! Yes, you read that correctly. For enthusiasts of Indian cuisine, this word held an entirely different significance, referring to the beloved Indian breakfast dish.

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For the uninitiated, Upma is a hearty porridge made from dry-roasted semolina or coarse rice flour, commonly enjoyed as a light breakfast across India. Its flavour profile can be customised with various seasonings and vegetables to suit individual tastes.

Thus, we encounter not just a pair of shoes bearing a semblance of a brand but also delivering a generous serving of humour!

Here it is:

“The only thing this tells me is that there is a better pair of shoes out there from the Poha brand,” quipped one commentator in the section. “Thats more professional than ‘Bilseri’,” remarked another. Keeping the banter lively, a third commenter chimed in, “And who doesn’t know ‘made by USA’ stand for Ulhasnagar Sindhi Association.” “As president of upma defense force (UDF) I am proud of our achievement,” continued the fourth commenter.

Previously, another such imitation sparked amusement across the internet. This time, it was a cheeky take on an underwear brand, riffing on the esteemed ‘Calvin Klein’ label by tweaking its name. While ‘Clavin Kein’ or ‘Calin Kelvin’ might have been somewhat forgivable, one individual took it a step further with a snapshot featuring him sporting ‘CallMe Kelvin’ underwear, a moment that swiftly went viral for all the right reasons.