Chennai woman breaks down as kind traffic cop asks ‘Are you OK?’; post goes viral

CHENNAI: A woman entrepreneur's emotional breakdown in front of a traffic police officer in Chennai has gone viral on LinkedIn.

The woman, identified as Janani Porkodi, founder of Mystique Gifts, wrote that she had been driving while struggling under the weight of work pressure and personal expectations when she was stopped by a traffic policeman. Though she didn’t recall the reason for being stopped, what stood out was the officer asking, “What happened? Are you okay?”

Overwhelmed by the unexpected kindness, she broke down in tears. “That one moment of concern helped me release all the emotions I had bottled up for weeks. Strangely, I felt lighter and more in control after crying,” she wrote.

Her post resonated widely, drawing comments from several users who shared their own experiences with emotional vulnerability and the healing power of empathy.

“Sometimes, we just need someone to notice our struggle and remind us that it’s okay to feel,” wrote one user. Another added, “If I cry, it means my mind is preparing to be strong. That’s what my emotions tell me.”

Many praised Janani for her openness. “That one kind word during suffering can mean everything. More power to you to overcome the situation,” read one comment.

Others reflected on the importance of emotional openness in today’s fast-paced world. “We live in an era where we don’t get to spend enough time with our closest ones. It’s important to be expressive before stress piles up,” another user wrote.

Janani also referenced an emotional scene from the 2008 Tamil film Vaaranam Aayiram, drawing a parallel to her own breakdown. In the airport scene, actor Suriya grieves the loss of his partner. A fellow Tamil-speaking passenger notices his distress and consoles him.