KABUL — In a dark, unfinished basement, Abbas Alizada coiled his body, then exploded into a high kick, his bare feet landing again on the stone floor. He looked like any 20-year-old passionate about kung fu.
Except, that is, for his uncanny resemblance to a late Chinese-American martial arts icon and Hollywood star — and he had a police officer outside his house.
“Bruce Lee inspires me,” Alizada said. “I learned all my moves watching Bruce Lee movies. I am very proud that everyone now knows me as Afghan Bruce Lee.”
Afghanistan has an unlikely new hero. In recent weeks, Alizada has become a social media sensation, as well as the target of threats, after friends and relatives posted pictures and videos of him — and his Lee-like poses — on YouTube and Facebook.
His rags-to-fame story is inspiring Afghan youths in a nation where poverty, corruption and unemployment have snuffed out dreams.
For many Afghans, he is also a diversion from the bloodshed that has placed the capital on edge and the political squabbling that has prevented the government from forming a new Cabinet.
“All anyone hears about Afghanistan is the insecurity, the violence, the political problems,” said Ahmed Najat, a businessman. “Abbas is helping to change the image of Afghanistan.”
When he was 9, Alizada saw his first Bruce Lee film, and soon he saw numerous others. His favorite: “Enter the Dragon.” At 14, he took martial arts lessons, but he began to train on his own because his father could not afford the expense.
In recent days, Alizada has decided he wants to be called Afghan Bruce Lee, to demonstrate his desire to represent all Afghans. He changed his Twitter handle to @afghanbrucelee.
“I want to become a very famous actor in Hollywood movies so that I can represent Afghanistan,” he said. “I want to become like Bruce Lee.”
