Amitabh Bachchan surely never fails to elicit curiosity. A good-looking old man he might be, but for people who bear a resemblance to him, life might have its share of the good, the bad and the ugly. They have the advantage of looking like Big B, but it sometimes poses problems too. Retired serviceman Vishwanathan, popularly known as Nathan, is known as the ‘South Indian Big B'.
“When I walk in public places people keep clicking my photographs on their mobile phones and pass some good compliments. They keep whispering about how I look. I feel good when people ask me to sign autographs. But sometimes they ridicule and pass comments to tease me,” says the Delhiite.
Going back to the first time someone noticed his facial resemblance to Amitabh Bachchan, Nathan recalls, “It was 12 years ago, when I was travelling to Tamil Nadu by train. A young girl asked me ‘Are you Amitabh Bachchan?' Another occasion was when I was travelling from Mumbai, when some cinematographers from Mumbai insisted that I join the industry. But I have never taken these things seriously.”
Nowadays, out of compulsion, he has to see that his hairstyle, beard and attire resemble Bachchan's.
“I am trying to establish myself in the field of acting now after my retirement because it's been my passion since my college days. For a year and a half I have been sporting this French beard and hairstyle. My looks can be useful for an entry into the acting field but I want to establish myself on my individual strength. I also got a call for the promos of Kaun Banega Crorepati . But I don't want to be branded a mimicry artist,” he adds.
On the other hand, his resemblance to the actor also poses hurdles when it comes to getting work.
“When I go for auditions for commercials, people don't give me a chance, saying the audience does not like lookalikes. Some ask me to narrate dialogues from Bachchan's films, which I really don't like. I want to create my own identity,” insists Nathan. Catch-22?
