Vinod Kapri, known for films such as Pihu, 1232 KMS, and Miss Tanakpur Haazir Ho, posted a video of a 19-year-old sprinting along a Noida road around midnight on Sunday. Despite being drenched in sweat, the runner repeatedly declines Vinod Kapri’s offer to give him a ride home. Within minutes of being shared on social media, the video had thousands of views.
Pradeep Mehra, who is originally from Uttarakhand, runs a 10km stretch every day from his job in Noida’s Sector 16 to his home in Barola, where he lives with his brother.
In an inspirational short, the filmmaker documents his contact with 19-year-old Pradeep Mehra, calling the young boy’s reasons for politely denying a lift “pure gold.” Kapri is filming from his car in the video, and the teen can be seen running home from work after his shift at a McDonald’s. He declines a ride and insists on running because it is part of his routine and he doesn’t have time to do anything else. When asked why he’s running at this late hour, he says, “To join the army.”
Kapri approached the young man once more, this time outside his workplace, to tell him that his story had touched many people. When asked what message he would like to convey to them, Pradeep replied, “The world bows before people who work hard.”
Credit: Vinod Kapri
