Elvis Presley has been a part of Bandra-based Siddharth Meghani’s life for as long as he can remember. He was introduced to Elvis by his mother and her sisters who were big Elvis fans, and by his father, who was a wedding photographer in Mumbai, which made him attend weddings often. He had one aunt who used to fly for Air India and used to bring down cassettes and CDs later for him to listen to. One of the first Christmas Carol cassettes that he got had Elvis on the A side and Perry Como on the B side.

Siddharth has now been performing as an Elvis Presley impersonator and tribute artist in Mumbai and India for the last 20 years, around the same time that he took over the reins from his father in photography. He nails the look completely with the pompadour hairdo and the sequined attire including the low-neck jacket and pants. At his photo studio in Bandra’s Chimbai, the Mumbaikar has built a small shrine dedicated to the singer, and another set of books and pictures from a local, who was leaving to go on ship after Covid, but unfortunately passed away overseas.

Bandra-based mother-son duo of Aaron Valladares and Amanda Valladares are another set of fans in Mumbai. Such is their fandom that Amanda named Aaron after Elvis's middle name. A couple of years ago, when Garry J Foley, an international Elvis Presley impersonator, performed in Mumbai, his mum was under the weather, but was determined to attend his performance. As soon as the lights hit the stage and the signature ‘See See Rider’ started blaring through the speakers, she forgot she was sick and ran for the stage. In Photo: Amanda Valladares with Garry J Foley (left) and she pointing towards Aaron telling Foley he was named after Elvis (right).

Lisa Pereira is another Mumbai resident and Bandra local who has been an Elvis Presley fan since she was a child and vividly remembers first listening to 'Suspicious Minds'. In fact, the 27-year-old reveals she is also named after Lisa Presley, daughter of 'The King of Rock and Roll'.

Being a singer in the city, Lisa also performs to Elvis's songs on stage, and wears the famous suit like Siddharth, while performing them at The Taj Mahal Palace hotel in Mumbai too. Like Aaron and Amanda, the Mumbaikar also regularly attends concerts by Elvis impersonators like Meghani and Foley over the years. Personally, she has even immortalised Elvis in her life by stitching a suit for her dad’s 50th birthday because he is a huge fan of the American singer.