KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 16 — Who needs unity slogans when you’ve got two Indian guys in Negeri Sembilan bringing Malaysians together, one laugh at a time?
Meet Devaraj and Devadass David, two brothers from Bahau who own a convenience store, who as they humorously admit, are sometimes mistakenly stereotyped as triad members in their hometown.
TheDavids, a TikTok sensation, have possibly cracked the code for cross-cultural comedy with their high-octane blend of razor-sharp Tamil sarcasm and Malay linguistic flair.
Their comedic genius shines through in their seamless transition between imaginary scenes and mock interviews, crafting a unique style that resonates with a diverse Malaysian audience.
Boasting close to 380,000 followers on TikTok with 7.3 million likes to date (and counting), Devaraj and Devadass excel in political satire.
They transform mock press conferences into comedy gold and their spot-on impressions of politicians dodging questions not only have their followers in stitches, but also attracted the attention of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim himself.
It was in 2022 when these siblings, aged 31 and 24, became the hottest duo in Bahau and Juasseh after their TikTok skits turned them into local celebrities.
There has been no turning back since then... unless to check their store’s inventory. The brothers presently operate a convenience shop in a small neighbourhood business centre in Juasseh.
Their rise to fame, however, was far from smooth. Devaraj, who holds a Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM) certificate, tried his hand at various jobs; from selling used shoes at night markets to becoming a car salesman to working as a real estate consultant.
Meanwhile, Devadass, upon completing Form Five, took on a range of odd jobs to make ends meet. They had lost their father, a police sergeant, in 2006.
“Actually I tried applying for government jobs but I did not get it. I tried and tried and tried and tired until I was 30, but I never got it. I wanted to become a policeman but that did not happen,” Devaraj told Malay Mail.
“So I wanted to build a life for myself on my own, and we decided to open this shop,” Devaraj said.
The brothers opened their small shop in 2021 and started doing their videos as a way to promote their business in 2022.
Closing the racial gap by creating awareness
The brothers feel that their newfound fame brings with it a renewed sense of responsibility. They aim to use their content not only to entertain but also to educate the public about local events, all while keeping things lighthearted. For this, the national language became the best mode of communication.
“Why we did it in the Malay language, therefore, is to capture all the audience, because in Malaysia, it is a language almost all understand. So we combined two elements. An understandable medium — Malay — and something we and many like, that is comedy.
“If you watch our content, we do not do nonsense. We do sarcasm, we advise people in a comedic way. It needs to have an impact on people in a good way,” Devaraj said.
These days, the David brothers’ comedy skits are racking up views fast. Their average video pulls in a cool 300,000 to 400,000 views, but that’s just the warm-up act.
In 2022, one of their chart-topper skits, ‘Kabel J.’, raked in 3.9 million plays on TikTok. In this crowd favourite, they take aim at Malaysia’s more “creative” drivers and their unique interpretations of road rules. It’s like a hilarious public service announcement that had viewers nodding in agreement between fits of laughter.
The video also got the attention of officers from the Road Transport Department (RTD). At one roadblock, they recognised Devaraj and told him how amused they were by the way the brothers had presented the said issues.
The David brothers’ chart-topping hit “Bila Ibu Ade Semua” (“When Mother Has Everything”) posted last month, received a whopping six million plays. In this comedic gem, their mother is pictured as a real-life (almost) Doraemon who provides solutions for all of Devaraj’s wardrobe woes. The skit perfectly captures the mystical “mom-magic” that leaves grown children everywhere wondering: How do they do that?
The David brothers said that their social media influence and understanding of current issues has also attracted offers from political parties to create content. However, they declined these proposals to maintain neutrality.
On facing their fair share of insults and racism on the internet, Devadass noted that while some social media users leave crude, racially insensitive comments at times, but their fans — including those of different ethnic backgrounds — often step in to address and correct such behaviour.
“You know you are making a change when that happens. You know people are uniting and there is respect and understanding,” he said.
Choosing to do their part to help others
Devaraj and Devadass have also decided not to accept sponsorship offers related to vaping products and alcohol.
The brothers say this is crucial in helping to dispel the stereotypes about the ethnic Indian community, by presenting a more positive image for their younger followers.
“Despite receiving offers to promote such products, we’re committed to maintaining clean, relatable content. We’re not preaching to others to not consume it or anything, but on our part, we don’t want people to think that fame has led us to use our platform irresponsibly. Our aim is to entertain without promoting such elements.”
Leveraging on his growing success, he also helps small and upcoming business owners who have limited means for advertising.
“There are some who pay me for one promotional video for their business, but when I deliver my final work, I usually give them two or even three videos as a means of helping them with their progress. I know how it feels when you are just starting out. So I try to do my part for these small business owners,” Devaraj added.
The brothers also wanted to share a Malaysia Day message to their fans.
“Don’t just unite when we see Malaysia participating in the Olympics, or when Independence Day comes. Don’t do that. Do it every day, because you are going to be seeing Malays, Chinese, Indians, Sabahans, Sarawakians daily. Live like brothers and sisters every day,” Devadass said.
