A little boy from a Malappuram village has become the unofficial ambassador of several government and non-government agencies, including Milma. Keralites around the world celebrated the innocence of Mohammed Fayis, whose two-minute video on making a paper flower has become a topic of discussion on the social media.
Borrowing the words of Fayis, Milma has made a catchphrase of its latest advertisement: “Chelolthu sheriyavum, chelolthu sheriyavula. Pakshenkil, chaaya ellarthum sheriyavum, paal Milma anengil (some may be right, some may be wrong. But tea will be fine for all if the milk is Milma).”
Milma’s gift
Milma on Tuesday gifted Fayis ₹10,000, a smart TV, and a kit of its complete products. “Fayis’s words have been the finest example of self-confidence at a time when the world is reeling under COVID-19. We find them quite motivating. So we borrowed them,” said Milma officials.
Fayis’s family said they would use the reward amount for charity. A portion of it will be given to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund.
The Health Department too has used Fayis’s lines for its latest COVID-19 Jagratha warning: “Chelolkku ndavaum, chelolku ndavoola. Ngakku ndavan sammaikaruthu (Some may get it, some may not get it. But you should never get it.).”
A fourth standard student of Izzathul Islam Higher Secondary Schoo, Kuzhimanna, Fayis has become a social media hero with a selfie video shot on his mother Maimoona’s phone. The video shows Fayis describing how to make a flower with a sheet of paper, a pair of scissors and a pencil. In his inimitable Eranadan Mapila slang, Fayis describes his flower-making craft and goes on to admit his failure without any qualms.
“Chelolthu readyiavum; chelolthu readyavula. Intethu readyayilya. Intethu vere modela vannathu… anganeyayalu nammakku oru koypam ilya (some flowers may be right, and some may not be right. My flower became a different model. But I have no worries),” Fayis said ingenuously.
His sisters sent the video to his father Muneer Saqafi, who works in Jeddah. He shared it in a family WhatsApp group, and the social media was quick to grab and celebrate Fayi’s unpretentious naivety.
On Tuesday, Fayis shared a video showing the gifts and trophies he got from different people. “I am so happy I got so much ice-cream, cakes and sweets,” he said.
