July has been a mind-bending, never-ending smattering of headlines that have made us do double-takes. While you were on the eternal doom-scroll sojourn, the internet’s favorite IT girl has gone from Ms. to Mrs. XCX. Meanwhile, James Gunn’s nerdy “Punkrocker” Superman has injected people with hope and kindness, making it the propaganda we should all definitely keep falling for.
We’ve got a lot of ground to cover in this month’s Rodeo, our monthly roundup of the most absurd moments on the internet. Let’s get into it.
The Aurafarming Boat Kid Is Going Global
You probably felt his aura 10 reels ahead. The frontman motivator for rowers at the Pacu Jalur boat racing festival, 11-year-old Rayyan Dhika, won hearts worldwide with his nonchalant charm and suave dance moves. Wading his way through virality, the Riau native is synonymous with Aura farming, a melange of Gen-Alpha slang which translates to “collecting coolness”. He became so wildly viral that celebrities like Travis Kelce and the PSG football team began imitating his steps. Now, Melly Mike, the singer behind the song ‘Young, Black and Rich’, is even heading to Indonesia from Aug. 20 to 24 to perform at the very same boat racing festival that launched his track into the viral meme stratosphere. Meanwhile, the Indonesian internet sensation has himself announced a meet and greet in Dubai via his Instagram page, signaling he’s officially making strides on the virality pipeline.
These Certified Good Boys Just Got Dog-Umented
In one of the more bizarre headlines to pop up on our feed this month, a residential certificate was issued for a dog in Bihar’s Nawada district. The certificate listed the dog’s name as “Dog Babu,” with its owners thematically named “Kutta Babu” and “Kutiya Devi.” Issued via Bihar’s RTPS portal from the Masaurhi Zone office, the certificate bore official signatures, raising eyebrows over how such tampering was allowed to occur. Soon after, another application was filed in Nawada’s Sirdala block, this time under the name “Dogesh Babu.” The details listed the pet parents as “Dogesh Ke Papa” and “Dogesh’s Mami,” complete with a photo of an innocent male canine attached. An FIR was filed under multiple sections by Sirdala Zone Officer Abhinav Raj. While these pranks did elicit chuckles online, they also sparked criticism of Bihar’s RTPS system, raising serious questions about the administrative integrity of government applications.
Now, ‘Dogesh Babu’ Applies For ID In Bihar, Case Filed As Per Orders https://t.co/Ko4ZRHYnMB pic.twitter.com/Bct6Ubd9gj
— NDTV (@ndtv) July 30, 2025
Harry Styles Wants To Tease And Please With A New Sex Toy Range
The ‘As It Was’ singer, who has kept a rather low profile this year, announced his recent venture into sexual wellness via Instagram, causing a whirlwind of furor and anticipation. Titled “Pleasing yourself”, it’s an extension of his gender-neutral brand ‘Pleasing’, including a double-sided vibrator and an FDA-approved silicone lubricant. Designed in collaboration with sex educator and author Zoe Ligon, the former One Direction star has previously vocalized the many facets of pleasure via the summertime hit ‘Watermelon Sugar High’. Foraying into this business, Styles has ensured that contributions would be made to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. And let’s be honest: when you’re already a walking thirst trap, launching a line of sex toys feels like a fitting way to finish the job.
Raanjhanaa Gets An AI-Altered “Happy” Ending
In a slew of AI-related headlines, Ranjhanaa’s altered ending has sent shockwaves through the circuit. The 2013 romantic drama, starring Danush and Sonam Kapoor, is going to be re-released in Tamil Nadu, under its alternate title ‘Ambikapathy’, on August 1. Globally, this is the first of its kind occurrence for cinema. Except, Eros Media Group, who hold complete rights to the film, plans to create a new, relatively “happier” climax using AI. What makes it so much worse is that they’re doing it without the director’s involvement. Aanand L Rai, the director of the film, has vehemently kept a strict distance from the development of this project. “I’m heartbroken that this is the future we’re heading toward, where intent and authorship are disposable”, he told the Press Trust of India. On one hand, Eros Media Group terms it as “creative imagining”, while Rai blatantly puts it across as a “dystopian experiment”. This has also sparked conversations regarding intellectual property, creative ownership, authorship and a looming question of who holds the reins to the final cut?
Dino James X CID: The Cameo No One Saw Coming
And on the other side is a situation that would likely make you go, “Is this AI?” Indian rapper Dino James was not kidding when he spat the bars “aur mai CID mai tha” (I was in CID), all while the original CID cast of ACP Pradyuman (Shivaji Satam), Inspector Daya (Dayanand Shetty), and Senior Inspector Abhijeet (Aditya Srivastava) stood behind him. Before his rap ascent, James made a cameo in the Hindi TV show (CID, episode 560—you’re welcome), playing the role of a Kerala police officer. The track, titled “Still Here” (ft Katya Krishnan), is from the rapper’s new album Priceless, and has already amassed 1.3 million views in the past 2 weeks. He also did an acting stint in the Hindi film Mardani 2 in 2019, playing the role of a shooter.
The Kiss Cam Catastrophe Continues
Andy Byron, the former CEO of Astronomer (and now apparently infidelity), is reportedly considering taking legal action against the British band Coldplay. According to a flurry of online rumors, the 50-year-old blames Coldplay for public humiliation, emotional turmoil, and invasion of privacy, though there is no legal filing yet. He allegedly called out Chris Martin’s comment (“Either they are having an affair, or they are just very shy”) for fuelling the fiasco further. Caught cozying up in the concert kiss cam with Kristin Cabot, his company’s HR executive, the alleged video of the two amassed over 128 million views, stirring a riot of memes and discourse around staying faithful in relationships. Both have since stepped back from their roles at Astronomer. In a surprising twist of crisis management, the AI data company brought Hollywood starlet Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Martin’s ex-wife, as a temporary spokesperson. In a 60-second humorous promotional clip that will likely give you the ick, Palthrow calmly addressed the gravity of the situation, while reiterating the company’s commitment to excellence during these turbulent times.
The Labubufication Of Parties Is Here
The devilish gremlins have now transitioned from dangling off bags and powering brainrot playlists into full-blown party themes. Clubs across Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, and Goa are now piggybacking off the hype to host Labubu-themed parties, complete with outfits, decor, games, photobooths, drinks and giveaways that match the doll’s derangedly adorable energy. Is this the next chapter of virality-infused experiences, or just a sign of the overhyped trend cycle reaching the end of its tether?
The Saiyaara Virus: Pure or PR?
People’s reactions to the film Saiyaara became the internet’s favorite meme fodder after several users pointed out that they were maybe just a bit too over the top. With footage of people ripping off their shirts, dramatically diving into their lovers’ arms, or bawling their eyes out for no apparent reason, it’s no surprise this meme frenzy has left us all collectively facepalming. An Instagram user even jokingly said “Saiyaara mai sabse acchi acting audience ne ki hai” (the audience has performed the best in Saiyaara).
Desh ke nibbe-nibbiyan are fainting after watching Saiyaara.
Govt should urgently station ambulances and ER doctors outside every screening. Pvt hospitals should also set up Saiyaara wards like COVID wards. WHO Red Cross can be requested to help.
Bare minimum for our future. pic.twitter.com/Wtlhn8vJpu
— THE SKIN DOCTOR (@theskindoctor13) July 22, 2025
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