The man in the mirror

Signing up for the latest training course or putting in a few extra hours at the office is how most people get ahead at work.

Not Navi. Painful cosmetic surgery and a lifetime supply of foundation have catapulted this Londoner to the top of his game.

Universally recognised as the world's number one Michael Jackson impersonator, having worked as decoy for the man himself, Navi tells tabloid! the pain was all worth it and was nothing compared to the pain he felt the day his idol died.

"Even now I'm in denial," he said. "I usually try to stay ahead of reality but this is one thing which I'm not sure I'll ever come to terms with. He was literally my world."

For almost 20 years, with an average of around 180 shows each year, Navi has performed in more than 50 countries across five continents with Dubai — on November 5 — the next stop on his international tour calendar.

Whether it's Dublin or Dubai Navi says there's one gig he'll never top. In 2002 Michael Jackson personally invited Navi to not only perform at his birthday bash in LA, but open the show, something the 36-year-old will never forget.

"It was utterly nerve-wracking," he said. "I was overwhelmed and terrified all at the same time. To perform for the man you have based your life and career around and to be seen through his eyes as the best at being him is something I've never really been able to put into words."

A private tour of Neverland, an insight into the true life of the King of Pop, topped off a trip Navi says will stay with him forever.

"I saw everything you read about in the media and more," he said. "I met orphaned children from all over the world and other children who needed expensive operations but whose parents couldn't afford it. This was the real Michael Jackson.

"It was like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory meets Disney World. He had everything from a zoo to a cinema and a theme park and the children played on perfectly manicured lawns.

"I met a little girl with cerebral palsy. Michael flew her and her family out and paid for the whole trip so she would have a great time. This was the stuff nobody heard about."

Standing trial

Standing by his hero and life model, Navi flew to America to be in the courtroom for Jackson's trial in 2005.

"I stood outside with a banner which said ‘Smooth but not a Criminal' and each day they would raffle off the seats inside. I made it in for about seven days of the trial as they only let about 40 people in everyday. It was surreal. I was watching this man I had been impersonating for 16 years thinking ‘I believe in you'. I don't think I could have impersonated him had he been convicted."

As it happened, the year of the trial was Navi's busiest 18 months, with his appearances almost doubling from the previous year. That was until MJ's death this year.

"In the past 10 days I have had more than 400 enquiries from 42 different countries," he said with a sigh.

A real Michael Jackson fan, Navi is genuine when he says he'd swap the work to have him back in the blink of an eye.

"The world is not ready to say goodbye to Michael Jackson," he said. "I have more work now than ever and am being offered gigs I could only dream of."

The offers may be coming in but Navi says it's not about the money and will still honour the smaller bookings rather than replace them with the more lucrative options which are flooding his way.

"I feel I have a responsibility to help fly the flag for the people who are struggling to come to terms with his death. There is a big change when I perform now. There is much more emotion and people often cry through my show. I feel people are literally clapping with their hearts."

Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, Navi, who lives in London, admits his career was something which grew from a simple obsession with his favourite singer and a timely run in with a pavement.

"I moved from Trinidad in the late '70s and Jackson mania was everywhere. I was gripped by MJ and I started trying to put make up on to look like him. A few years later I fell and broke my nose and had reconstructive surgery. It was only then I realised I looked more like him and started working as a look-alike."

Several operations followed as Navi made a conscious decision to further his career and take his strength as an impersonator to another level. "I see my face a canvas," he said. "I would have more surgery but try and maintain MJ's look from the '90s. I am much darker than him so even though I have the facial features I really only look like him when I apply the make up."

Modest to the end Navi says the strength of his Dubai show will be down to a team of dancers who will help bring the Jackson magic alive on stage.

"It's a Michael Jackson experience, the Michael Jackson effect — it's the closest thing to him but not as good.

"As a Jackson impersonator, it is such a brand, I am sometimes bigger than other artists but I'll always remember he is the king and I a mere servant."

What Jackson said

Having met Jackson on a number of occasions Navi said the experience never got any easier.

"I performed at his birthday party and I was a bag of nerves," he said. "But he was so humble I had no need to be nervous.

"When we spoke he said ‘you're a great dancer, do you practise every day?' And I remember thinking ‘is this guy serious?' So I replied by telling him he was a great dancer too and he said ‘really?' I couldn't believe it.

"He made me feel like he was pleased to have met me, like he was learning something from even meeting me. He was either poking fun at me or extremely humble. I think I'm a good judge of character and I'm sure he was genuine."

The things he's seen

As a decoy for Jackson, Navi would be required to leave hotels and restaurants from the front door and deal with the paparazzi while the real MJ would leave via the back.

But nothing could compare to some of the offers he has had from crazed fans.

"I was once offered £50,000 [Dh300,000] to have a baby with a lady who was obsessed with Michael Jackson. It was so weird but kind of flattering. I obviously said no," he said with a giggle.

"I've even done some album promotions for him but most of the work was taking paparazzi and fans away from venues so he could leave safely."

Ironically the work often put Navi in danger himself.

"In Thailand I was mobbed by more than 2,000 fans and it was very scary," he recalls.

See Navi

What: Michael Jackson's no 1 impersonator performs in Dubai next month.
Where: Dubai Media City Amphitheatre
When: Thursday, November 5
Tickets: Priced Dh75, Dh125 and Dh200 for VIP, are available at ticketingboxoffice.com or Virgin Megastores.