Ibrahim Qadri as Shah Rukh Khan: The man who looks like the superstar but chose to stay himself - ‘I'm not a copy, I'm a creation'

Time of India

3 days ago

In a world where the line between imitation and identity often blurs, Ibrahim Qadri has walked the tightrope with a unique balance of humility, hard work, and heart. Known widely on social media as the doppelgänger of
Shah Rukh Khan
,
Ibrahim
's story isn't just about resemblance — it's about resilience.
In this candid, unfiltered interview with ETimes, Ibrahim opens up about his life before fame, the emotional whirlwind of becoming someone else's reflection, and why — despite the comparisons — he's never stopped being himself.
A mirror to a superstar
'When I was around 15 or 16, people started calling me Shah Rukh Khan,' Ibrahim recalls with a chuckle. 'Even in school, college — wherever I went — people said, 'Yeh toh bilkul
SRK
jaisa dikhta hai.''
But the resemblance, though striking, wasn't something he consciously cultivated in his early years. Life in Junagadh, a small town in Gujarat, was simple and survival-driven. 'I used to do wall painting — hoardings and shop signs — just to earn a living,' he says. 'There wasn't much at home, so whatever little I earned went into food and bills.'
It wasn't until 2017, when SRK's film Raees released, that Ibrahim decided to lean into the uncanny resemblance.
'I already had a beard like in Raees, and when people saw me, they just went crazy. That's when social media picked me up, and followers started pouring in. I'd go to parties or public places, and people would scream, cry, and even pull me. I didn't even know how to handle it at first.'
The day a crowd made him cry
Ibrahim recounts a moment that would change his perspective forever — an IPL match in Rajkot at the Khandheri Stadium.
'I went to see the match and people lost it. They started screaming, crying, pulling me. For two hours, I was stuck. I got hurt. I was scared. I couldn't breathe. The police had to come get me out,' he says. 'But after that, I realised — this is something big. If so many strangers are reacting like this, then maybe I have something special.
'
His confidence soared, but so did the responsibility. 'I started working on my body, my styling, even my dance.
I didn't know how to dance! But I started watching SRK's movies not just as entertainment, but as training material. I had to live up to the image people had of me.'
Not just a copy, but a creation
Ibrahim has heard it all — 'duplicate', 'lookalike', 'copycat.' But he doesn't shy away from the label anymore. 'Earlier it hurt. Now, I think copying is an art. Every profession is inspired by someone. A journalist learns by watching other journalists.
A doctor studies another doctor's work. Even Shah Rukh Khan learned from Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan. The world is built on copying — I just took it seriously.'
Still, he draws a line: 'I'm not a cheap 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, even they get Rs 10,000–Rs 15,000 because I raised the bar. I charge Rs 1.5 to Rs 2.5 lakh per event now — and people pay it happily.'
Two identities, one soul
Off-stage, Ibrahim is just that — Ibrahim. 'My friends are still the same. I tell them, 'Don't treat me like a star.' I sit on the ground, eat with them, chill with them. And I keep my circle small. When people who once ignored me now stand in line for selfies, I smile — but I don't forget.'
He lives a dual life — one of glitz, the other of groundedness. 'SRK's world is fun — the applause, the cameras, the love.
But Ibrahim's world is real. There's no pretending. That balance keeps me sane.'
Why he doesn't want to meet Shah Rukh Khan
You'd think his biggest dream would be to meet the man whose face he shares. But Ibrahim surprises us. 'I've never tried. You know why? Because it's like a dream car — a Ferrari. You dream about it, you fantasize about driving it. But the moment it's in your garage, the fantasy dies. I don't want to lose that thrill, that excitement. If I meet him and it doesn't live up to my emotions, what will I have left?'
That said, he holds only respect for SRK.
'His name got me fame, money, love — everything. I will always be grateful.'
Love, life and not living in the future
Now 49, Ibrahim says he still feels 25. 'I've never told myself I'm old. I play with kids, laugh like a child. That keeps me young. And yes, I'm not married yet — I told my family to wait. I wanted to focus on this journey. But yes, I think it's time,' he says with a laugh.
He has no regrets, no grand plans for Bollywood either.
'I've rejected acting offers. Why should I go and play someone else in a movie when I've already built a universe on social media? I've created a brand that people pay to see. And I manage everything myself — with the help of my brother-in-law now. We're a small team, but we've built something massive.'
Living in the now
If there's one message Ibrahim repeats — almost like a mantra — it's to live in the present. 'COVID taught us that everything can shut down in a second. Don't chase money, don't hoard fame. Just live. Be happy. Spread happiness. Never let someone lose their heart because of you — that's my biggest rule.'
And if he could meet his 5-year-old self? 'I'd hug him and say — just be kind. And never stop dreaming.'