MY PHONE HASN’T STOPPED RINGING, SAYSTHEDESIRIRI

Model Renee Kujur, who has shot to fame as singer Rihanna’s doppelgänger, is enjoying all the media attention and hopes to walk the ramp at international fashion shows

This sudden brush with fame makes me feel like an overnight celebrity. My phone hasn’t stopped ringing,” says model Renee Kujur, who has become an internet sensation because she bears a striking resemblance to Barbadian singer Rihanna.

After Hindustan Times featured her story and mentioned her struggle in her modeling career, a number of Indian and International websites and TV channels such as Allure, Metro.co.uk, Firstpost, dailymail.co.uk, ABP Live, India Today, Indian Express, News 18, PopXO, Mensxp, ANI, Quint, NDTV and LadBible have followed up, and shared her story.

Reading her story in Hindustan Times, girls have been messaging Renee on Instagram for being an inspiration to those who are dusky and living in a society obsessed with fair skin.

“A girl wrote to me that her school teacher never selected her in their dance group because she is dark. And her parents force her to use fairness creams and bleaches. It’s sad people still judge you because of your complexion,” she says.

Renee, who works as a sales girl at a high-end lifestyle brand in a mall in Saket, adds, “The day my story came out in the newspaper, I got a message from the CEO of my company, Shailesh Chaturvedi. He wrote that

I am a star and he has to be in touch with me now. It was overwhelming to hear from him.”The Chhattisgarh girl aspires to walk the ramp for international designers in Paris, Milan and New York. “My Instagram followers have increased, and I have been getting messages from people all over the world, praising my beauty,” she laughs.

RENEE KUJUR’S INSTAGRAM HANDLE IS BADGALRENE. HER ORIGINAL NAME, RENU, WAS CHANGED TO RENEE BY A MODELLING AGENCY

PHOTO: JASJEET PLAHA/HT PHOTOS: INSTAGRAM/BADGALRENE Renee Kujur has been modelling for more than three years now HT recreated Rihanna’s look on Renee recently