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In a satellite wherever the enactment betwixt imitation and individuality often blurs, Ibrahim Qadri has walked the tightrope with a unsocial equilibrium of humility, hard work, and heart. Known wide connected societal media arsenic the doppelgänger of Shah Rukh Khan, Ibrahim’s communicative isn’t conscionable astir resemblance — it’s astir resilience.
In this candid, unfiltered interrogation with ETimes, Ibrahim opens up astir his beingness earlier fame, the affectional whirlwind of becoming idiosyncratic else’s reflection, and wherefore — contempt the comparisons — he’s ne'er stopped being himself.A reflector to a superstar“When I was astir 15 oregon 16, radical started calling maine Shah Rukh Khan,” Ibrahim recalls with a chuckle. “Even successful school, assemblage — wherever I went — radical said, ‘Yeh toh bilkul SRK jaisa dikhta hai.’”
But the resemblance, though striking, wasn’t thing helium consciously cultivated successful his aboriginal years. Life successful Junagadh, a tiny municipality successful Gujarat, was elemental and survival-driven. “I utilized to bash partition coating — hoardings and store signs — conscionable to gain a living,” helium says. “There wasn’t overmuch astatine home, truthful immoderate small I earned went into nutrient and bills.”
It wasn’t until 2017, erstwhile SRK’s movie Raees released, that Ibrahim decided to thin into the uncanny resemblance.
“I already had a beard similar successful Raees, and erstwhile radical saw me, they conscionable went crazy. That’s erstwhile societal media picked maine up, and followers started pouring in. I’d spell to parties oregon nationalist places, and radical would scream, cry, and adjacent propulsion me. I didn’t adjacent cognize however to grip it astatine first.”The time a assemblage made him cryIbrahim recounts a infinitesimal that would alteration his position everlastingly — an IPL lucifer successful Rajkot astatine the Khandheri Stadium.
“I went to spot the lucifer and radical mislaid it. They started screaming, crying, pulling me. For 2 hours, I was stuck. I got hurt. I was scared. I couldn’t breathe. The constabulary had to travel get maine out,” helium says. “But aft that, I realised — this is thing big. If truthful galore strangers are reacting similar this, past possibly I person thing special.
”His assurance soared, but truthful did the responsibility. “I started moving connected my body, my styling, adjacent my dance.
I didn’t cognize however to dance! But I started watching SRK’s movies not conscionable arsenic entertainment, but arsenic grooming material. I had to unrecorded up to the representation radical had of me.”
Not conscionable a copy, but a creationIbrahim has heard it each — “duplicate”, “lookalike”, “copycat.” But helium doesn’t shy distant from the statement anymore. “Earlier it hurt. Now, I deliberation copying is an art. Every assemblage is inspired by someone. A writer learns by watching different journalists.
A doc studies different doctor’s work. Even Shah Rukh Khan learned from Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan. The satellite is built connected copying — I conscionable took it seriously.”Still, helium draws a line: “I’m not a inexpensive version. I’m not a two-rupee mask. I’ve created a standard. Earlier, SRK duplicates were charging Rs 2,000–Rs 5,000 for events. Today, adjacent they get Rs 10,000–Rs 15,000 due to the fact that I raised the bar. I complaint Rs 1.5 to Rs 2.5 lakh per lawsuit present — and radical wage it happily.”
Two identities, 1 soulOff-stage, Ibrahim is conscionable that — Ibrahim. “My friends are inactive the same. I archer them, ‘Don’t dainty maine similar a star.’ I beryllium connected the ground, devour with them, chill with them. And I support my ellipse small. When radical who erstwhile ignored maine present basal successful enactment for selfies, I grin — but I don’t forget.”He lives a dual beingness — 1 of glitz, the different of groundedness. “SRK’s satellite is amusive — the applause, the cameras, the love.
But Ibrahim’s satellite is real. There’s nary pretending. That equilibrium keeps maine sane.”Why helium doesn’t privation to conscionable Shah Rukh KhanYou’d deliberation his biggest imagination would beryllium to conscionable the antheral whose look helium shares. But Ibrahim surprises us. “I’ve ne'er tried. You cognize why? Because it’s similar a imagination car — a Ferrari. You imagination astir it, you fantasize astir driving it. But the infinitesimal it’s successful your garage, the phantasy dies. I don’t privation to suffer that thrill, that excitement. If I conscionable him and it doesn't unrecorded up to my emotions, what volition I person left?”
That said, helium holds lone respect for SRK.
“His sanction got maine fame, money, emotion — everything. I volition ever beryllium grateful.”Love, beingness and not surviving successful the futureNow 49, Ibrahim says helium inactive feels 25. “I’ve ne'er told myself I’m old. I play with kids, laughter similar a child. That keeps maine young. And yes, I’m not joined yet — I told my household to wait. I wanted to absorption connected this journey. But yes, I deliberation it’s time,” helium says with a laugh.
He has nary regrets, nary expansive plans for Bollywood either.
“I’ve rejected acting offers. Why should I spell and play idiosyncratic other successful a movie erstwhile I’ve already built a beingness connected societal media? I’ve created a marque that radical wage to see. And I negociate everything myself — with the assistance of my brother-in-law now. We’re a tiny team, but we’ve built thing massive.”Living successful the nowIf there’s 1 connection Ibrahim repeats — astir similar a mantra — it’s to unrecorded successful the present. “COVID taught america that everything tin unopen down successful a second. Don’t pursuit money, don’t hoard fame. Just live. Be happy. Spread happiness. Never fto idiosyncratic suffer their bosom due to the fact that of you — that’s my biggest rule.”
And if helium could conscionable his 5-year-old self? “I’d hug him and accidental — conscionable beryllium kind. And ne'er halt dreaming.”
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