Are celebrity doppelgangers going too far with cosplaying?

However, there is a marked difference between how Indian fans mirror the mannerisms of Bollywood celebrities versus how fans in the West do theirs. And it has a lot to do with the contrasting cultures. When it comes to Hollywood, the fandom around public figures is slightly more subdued and a little less frantic. While these celebrities are not completely approachable, there is a lot less mystique surrounding their existence. In India, we see celebrities as completely different entities altogether. They do not operate on the same plane as us. Some of them are practically treated like gods. Every year, thousands of people gather outside Shah Rukh Khan’s residence in Mumbai to catch a glimpse of the superstar on his birthday. It is a ritualistic experience unlike any other. Kiara Advani and Alia Bhatt both have lookalikes who have gone viral in recent times, with the former even reposting some of the videos posted by her doppelganger on Instagram.

But how far is too far for celebrity doppelgangers when it comes to cosplay?

Recently, it was revealed that famous Ariana Grande impersonator Paige Neimann had joined OnlyFans, the content subscription service where creators offer exclusive content—often explicit in nature—to paying subscribers. The influencer is such a spitting image of the singer that she is now an internet sensation in her own right.

Ultimately, Neimann became so popular that she caught the attention of Grande herself back in 2019. At the time, the singer had said that while she believes Neimann is the “sweetest sweetheart”, she also finds it “bizarre.” Under normal circumstances, cosplaying a character or a celebrity might not be cause for too much concern. But distorting a public figure’s identity for monetary benefit —as is the case in this situation—is definitely crossing a line.