In full uniform, a beat forest officer walked deep into the wilderness, as if responding to a call from the woods themselves. Several kilometres in, he stopped, lifted his phone above his head, and recorded a selfie video. Alone, unguarded, and framed by the forest’s mystique.
It could have passed for a carefully composed film shot. The camera caught nature in its unhurried splendour—lush, hushed, and impossibly serene. Against this tranquil backdrop, he began to sing a trending song, his voice rising gently through the stillness of the forest.
What began as a fleeting, personal moment of joy soon travelled far beyond the trees. When the officer, Akhil K Sankar, shared the video on social media, it struck an unexpected chord. Uploaded on the Instagram page Akhilcopycat, the clip turned the solitary forest patrol into a viral sensation.
Viewers wanted more. The comment section filled up with nudges and appeals: “Where are you? Come on, bro… give us another one.”
Soon came more, distinguished by the same warmth and wide smile. And the wilderness, of course. Thousands of likes, shares, and encouraging comments followed. Akhil has now become a ‘wild card’ celebrity on social media.
Into music reels
A native of Thodupuzha, Akhil began his career as a beat forest officer about eight years ago with the Nagarampara Forest Range in the Kottayam–Idukki region. Although his duty hours often resembled those of a desk job, from 8am to 5pm, the profession demanded round-the-clock readiness, with personnel expected to respond at any time.
His work involved routine patrols, repeated journeys into the forest, and an unchanging daily schedule. Over time, the monotony of the pattern began to weigh heavily on him, leaving him mentally drained and disengaged.
Around that time, Akhil got transferred to the Marayoor Forest Range in Idukki district — an area famed for its natural sandalwood forests. Yet, despite the scenic shift, the nature of the work and repetitive routines remained largely unchanged. A sense of boredom persisted. It was here that nature itself showed Akhil a creative path.
“During that time, I personally felt my mental health deteriorating and slipping into an unpleasant phase. That was when the idea struck me to create content centred around the forest, because most people are curious to know and see what life inside a real forest is like,” says Akhil.
“With that thought, I began a video vlog titled 'Kadujeevitham (Life in the Forest)', documenting my experiences, daily routines, and moments from within the forest. It was a way for me to overcome the monotony that came with life in khaki.”
Akhil decided not to chase trends, but to create one of his own. He fell back on his singing skills, largely left behind after his school and college days and previously shared only in small gatherings of friends and family.
“I have always loved music, but had no time to embrace it due to life’s pressures. I believe music has a therapeutic effect,” says Akhil, who is a big fan of A R Rahman and Hariharan.
Soon, videos of the bald officer with a walrus moustache singing popular film songs in the middle of a forest began striking a chord, gaining widespread attention on social media.
What’s with the name ‘Copycat’?
A person who copies another’s behaviour, style, or ideas is often called a copycat. In that sense, the term found a unique resonance with Akhil, who is known for recreating trending and popular film songs. However, the officer says, the name goes back to his student days.
“Right from my school days, ‘Akhil’ was a common name. There were several in my school and college batches,” he says.
“After college, I started a video-editing studio, and adopted the pen name ‘Copycat’. That gradually became part of my identity. Friends started adding ‘Copycat’ to my name to distinguish from the other ‘Akhils’.
Gradually, ‘Copycat’ turned into my signature.”
What next?
Unlike the conventional Malayali pursuit of cinema or fame, Akhil prefers to avoid the spotlight, choosing instead to “live and work on my own terms”.
“I am happy with what I am doing now. My parents, wife, Aswathy, and children, Rithu and Rishi, motivate me. Their responses keep me going,” says the officer, who is currently posted at the Vairamani forest station that comes under the Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary.
“Above all, I am grateful for the support from my superior officers and colleagues in the forest department. If they had not backed me, my singing adventure would have been nipped in the bud.”
While Akhil has no big singing career ambitions, he has a “dream project” on his mind. “I want to create a music composition themed entirely on the forest,” he says.
“This is not just a dream — it will be my tribute to the forest, which has been everything to me for the past eight years.”