Meet Muhammed Riswan: 600m-view waterfall football trick earns Instagram award
Muhammed Riswan, a freestyle footballer from Kerala, gained global fame after a viral Instagram video of a trick shot at a waterfall reached 600 million views. He has since been recognized as one of the winners of Instagram's Rings Award 2026.
Why it matters
It illustrates the power of viral social media content to transform local talent into global recognition and professional opportunities.
A football, a waterfall and one carefully timed kick. In November 2023, Muhammed Riswan filmed a short video at Keralamkundu Waterfall in Kerala's Malappuram district. He kicked a football towards the waterfall, making it appear as though the ball had disappeared behind the falling water. The clip was meant to be a fun video with friends. It went on to attract more than 600 million views on Instagram.Nearly three years later, the freestyle footballer from Kerala has received another international recognition. Riswan is among the 25 global creators selected for Instagram's Rings Award 2026. He is one of two Indian winners, with the other being model Bhavitha Mandava.Instagram's recognition comes after the video took him from a local waterfall to a worldwide audience.
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