Throughout the previous three decades, Balvir Chand had constructed the greater part of his life around the way that he is a doppelganger of Sachin Tendulkar, however, like numerous others, his life has self-destructed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Having been an ordinary on Indian TV as Tendulkar’s twofold in a few commercials during the maestro’s playing days, Balvir Chand had from that point forward been utilized as the brand diplomat of an inexpensive food chain in Mumbai. He lost his employment in the lockdown and came back to his town in Punjab prior this month, just to discover on coming to there that he had gotten the infection.
“They (Goli Vada Pav No 1, Chand’s employers) lost business after the lockdown and let go of a lot of staff. I too was asked to leave; they said they would hire me back when things improve,” Chand was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times on Wednesday.
‘These are my photos, not yours’
Balvir Chand had received national recognition when Sunil Gavaskar had invited him to the commentary box during an India Test in 1999. “Later, they took me to Taj hotel to meet Sachin Ji. I asked for autographs on six photos I had carried. He was busy signing them when I told him ‘these are my photos, not yours’. He was startled, looked at me and smiled,” recalled Chand.
From that point forward, he has bent over for Tendulkar in commercials for brands, for example, MRF, Toshiba, Reynolds and TVS, which the cricketer embraced. He was likewise given jobs in Bollywood movies to play Tendulkar. In Mumbai, he would be the star fascination at shop openings, interest guests with jokes, and posture for photos.
He had likewise been roped in for political races by ideological groups, which he would take an interest in wearing the India shirt.
“Sachin Ji’s face has given me lot of shahurat (fame), not so much Daulat (riches). But I can write, compose songs; I will try to use my talent. Hopefully, jobs will be back and people will find value in my freaky appearance again,” he said on Wednesday.
