MUZAFFARPUR, Feb 7: A lookalike of the Indian president is in heavy demand these days. Bhushan Das, an electrical engineer at BR Ambedkar Bihar University (BRABU) who looks very much like President Abdul Kalam, has been offered a role in a British film.

Mr Das, who has agreed to do the film, had earlier turned down a similar offer from director Dev Anand.

The vice chancellor of BRABU, Asheshwar Yadav, has issued a no-objection certificate to Mr Das and has allowed him a three-month leave.

As soon as he obtains a passport and gets his visa, he will receive the money in advance and leave for London. Bhushan Das is in constant touch with a representative of the film unit, an NRI woman interior decorator.

Mr Das was spotted by the interior designer in October last year during his Goa tour. After clicking several photographs of him, she got back to him with the offer of a role in a film.

“The lady who originally hails from Punjab, works in a film production company in London,” Mr Das said.

He says his friends have always told him that he looks like the president. When Abdul Kalam became President, he started flaunting his locks, making for a perfect duplicate.—By arrangement with the Times of India