One labourer won Dh2,000 in the competition after his dance moves wowed all
Songs, dance and the trademark Shah Rukh Khan pose - almost 200 workers in the UAE brought out all the swag they could muster to participate in the ‘SRK Style Contest’ organized by their Dubai-based company.
Manpower solutions company World Star Holding organised the competition to bring out the inner SRK in its workers. Held at the Star Cinemas in Al Ghurair Centre, Dubai, the contest was judged by representatives from the company as well as industry experts.
The workers, dressed in some of their finest clothes, boarded buses from workers' accommodation and arrived at the mall in a day of fun and frolic for them.
The style contest saw some grooving, while others mimicked SRK’s dialogues to lend authenticity to their performances. They were cheered on by an enthusiastic crowd of coworkers.
Dressed in a golden jacket, grey long-sleeved shirt and a green cap, Noushad Ansari from the Indian state of Bihar walked away with the first prize of Dh2000, thanks to his impeccable dance moves to the song “Jhoome Jo Pathaan” (The Pathaan who Dances)
“We had three days to practice,” said Ansari. “However, our room is small, and I didn’t have space to practice my dance steps. So, I would do my rehearsals in the kitchen.” The second and third prize winners won Dh1,000 and Dh500 respectively.
“Our workers are our heroes, and it is our happiness to be able to do something like this for them," said company chairman Nishad Hussain, who is also a diehard SRK fan. The company has previously treated its employees to Rolls-Royce rides and a Burj Khalifa visit for their excellent performances.
After the closely fought competition, the entire group of workers made their way into the theatre to watch a special screening of the movie.
The Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone-starrer Bollywood blockbuster Pathaan has received an overwhelming response since its release on January 25 in the UAE theatres, recording the biggest opening weekend for any Bollywood movie.
The Bollywood blockbuster, which was made at a budget of Dh111 million, has already raked in more than Dh369 million, while breaking many box office records. It marks the comeback of SRK, fondly called the Badshah (king) of Bollywood, on the silver screen after a 4-year hiatus.
The workers were thrilled to be able to catch this iconic movie in the theatre. They cheered, clapped and whistled for the action scenes. For the final song of the movie, many made their way to the stage in front of the screen and danced to their heart’s content. Bangladesh national Jamil Islam came dressed in a red T-shirt and a black jacket, with matching sunglasses in celebration of his favourite actor. “I love Shah Rukh Khan and when I heard we were going to watch his film, I knew I had to come dressed as stylish as he does,” he said.
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Nasreen Abdulla is a Special Correspondent covering food, tech and human interest stories. When not challenged by deadlines, you’ll find her pulling off submissions on the jiu jitsu mats.