Mainstream Tamil culture places a high premium on linguistic modesty ( pannbhaadu ). Consequently, using this phrase immediately marks the speaker as aggressive, crude, or socially inappropriate.

The phrase gained widespread internet traction through . Creators regularly utilize a structured "question-and-answer" format to express total disbelief at something underwhelming or bizarre: Setup Question The Absurd Element The Climax Punchline “Ethu? Zombie-a?” (What? A zombie?) An underwhelming movie creature “Ethu? Pundaya!” “Ethu? Teaser-a?” (What? A teaser?) A poorly edited film trailer “Ethu? Pundaya!” “Ethu? Hype-a?” (What? Is this the hype?) An over-promised internet trend “Ethu? Pundaya!” The Rajinikanth & "Nagarjuna Va" Connection

: Users often use the audio to express mock outrage or disbelief in comedic "POV" (point of view) reels. Usage Warning

For example, one source clarifies its usage: "Ethu is the interrogative pronoun to be used when inquiring about an unidentified or unspecified noun". A Tamil dictionary further defines it as "inter. pron. what, which? yAthu". Therefore, the "ethu" in "ethu pundaya" strongly suggests a questioning or qualifying element, setting the stage for an inquiry about the nature of the "pundaya" that follows.