How actor Ertugul's portrait changed life of this 52-year-old papier mache artist

Malik, originally from Srinagar's Habba Kadal area, like other artisans, was trying to make his two ends meet by doing papier-mâché art. Amid meagre income, Malik was somehow managing his daily expenses and saving a bit for her only daughter's marriage. And then one day, his humble house was razed due to massive fire.

Srinagar:Life was full of challenges and hardships for Shabir Ahmad Malik, 52-year-old papier-mâché artist from Srinagar, but then a social media post changed his life.

Malik, originally from Srinagar's Habba Kadal area, like other artisans, was trying to make his two ends meet by doing papier-mâché art. Amid meagre income, Malik was somehow managing his daily expenses and saving a bit for his only daughter's marriage. And then one day, his humble house was razed due to massive fire.

"It was 2018, my daughter's marriage was a fortnight away when my house at Habba Kadal got damaged in the fire. With nowhere to go, I was left hopeless. But my relatives and friends came forward and chipped in with monetary help," Malik said.

He further said, "Following that I could manage the marriage of my daughter and shifted to a temporary tin shed at Bemina. I am living here for the last two years. This shed serves both as my workshop and house."

Apart from papier-mâché, Malik is also making portraits and doing calligraphy. Recently, his one painting of Turkish actor Engin Altan Düzyatan got viral on social media and this changed his life to a great extent. Engin portrays the character of Ertugul Ghazi in Dirilis: Ertugrul series.

Speaking about the portrait of Engin, he says, "I am getting a lot of offers since my daughter posted a picture of Ertugul on social media. I not only do portraits and traditional papier-mâché but also portraits and wall paintings. Earlier, I have also made portraits of 'Last Supper' and other designs on the request of English tourists in Kashmir."

"Now, I want to make a grand samavor type hut and portraits of Kashmiri celebrities," he adds.

His daughter Sania Shabir Malik believes that her father is an extraordinary artist unknown to the whole world due to lack of initiatives from the administration.

"My father has always been an innovator. The portrait of Engin Altan Düzyatan was made by him on the request of my younger brother. I shared the picture on social media and then the response was excellent. My two brothers also work with my father," Sania says.

Sania believes that the art runs in their bloodline and says, "my father's only dream now is that the photo of Ertugul must reach to Engin Altan Düzyatan."