Chennai actor pledges Rs 1 lakh to 80-year-old man abandoned by daughter after viral post

After the story of an elderly couple selling sweets and polis on trains to survive in Chennai after their London-based daughter abandoned them went viral, actor and choreographer Raghava Lawrence has come forward to offer financial support. In a post on X, Lawrence said he was ready to contribute Rs 1 lakh to help the couple.

"Today, a post reached me through social media about an 80-year-old man and his wife in Chennai who make sweets and polis, selling them on trains to survive. Their resilience moved me deeply," he wrote. "I am ready to contribute Rs 1,00,000 to support their journey, hoping it brings them comfort and strength. I’ve been trying to reach the contact provided, but haven’t been able to. If anyone knows their details, please reach out to me."

The original post described the elderly man, identified as Ragavendra, and his wife, who were reportedly abandoned by their daughter settled in London. To make ends meet, the wife prepares sweets and polis at home, while the man sells them on busy trains across the city.

Dr Mouth Matters (@GanKanchi), whose post on the couple went viral, wrote that he had tasted the sweets and that "they are pure, divine, and filled with love”. “If you come across him, don’t just buy a sweet or a poli — buy his strength, his resilience, his unbroken spirit," the X user added.