We've all seen videos like the one above. There's gentle upbeat music. It's an inspirational story about a common man and soft-focus shots on a DSLR camera. Most of them aren't any good, and not all of them go viral.
Cut to the video above. Feauring M Kumar, it's got a million views and 50,000 shares since it was uploaded on August 2. Kumar isn't a cat, nor has he jumped from 25,000 feet without a parachute.
He's a traffic cop, which as professions go, is a pretty regular one at that. In most countries.
In India, however, where most drivers do not follow basic rules of the road, and 17 lives are lost every hour, amounting to around 200,000 accidents each year, someone doing a good job can save lives.
And that's exactly how Kumar has become a mini-celebrity in his area and now, on the internet. His beautifully choreographed moves as he controls traffic are all the rage. His warm and fuzzy statements about his job have also made him an "awwsome" figure. Sample this: "The people who pass through my signal every day should have a safe start, go to their offices and return home safely."
Admittedly, the video is a little too crafted to be utterly real, but it's a great story nonetheless.
Kumar just might have taken some inspiration from another individual who has to make people around him obey rules – the charismatic and always funny umpire from New Zealand, Billy Bowden.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!