A Zayn Malik lookalike contest took place on Sunday, November 17, 2024, in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, but it didn’t go exactly as planned. Shiv Patel was crowned the winner after judges selected him as the closest resemblance to the famous former One Direction star. Two other contestants were named runners-up, but the competition quickly sparked widespread criticism on social media.
Videos from the event soon went viral, prompting many online users to question the judges’ decision. A viral post by X user @PopCrave shared clips of the contest, with one user commenting, “Are the judges blind?” Other responses echoed similar disbelief.
“Should’ve won the award for ‘worst lookalikes,’” one person wrote, while another added, “None of them look like him btw.”
The criticisms continued to flood in, with some commenters apologizing to Zayn Malik. “Zayn I’m so sorry,” one user lamented.
As more clips from the event gained traction, many mocked both the contestants and the judges, pointing out the lack of resemblance to Malik. “I would be fine letting nobody win if nobody looks like the actual person,” exclaimed one commenter. Another added, “Who lied to them,” while one user joked, “They picked some random guys lol.”
This contest follows a similar event in October 2024, when fans gathered for a Timothée Chalamet lookalike competition, showing a growing trend of celebrity impersonator contests in the city.
While the judges may have had their reasons, the internet has clearly spoken, and it looks like this Zayn Malik lookalike contest will be remembered more for the backlash than the winner.
