Pakistan - He played a key role in shaping cinema history, and now he has reappeared in recent pictures. Is actor Charlie Chaplin really still with us?

Film fans are amazed by these photos! Indeed, the facial expressions and gestures are almost exactly the same as the original.

But as convincing as the images and clips may be, they do not feature Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (†88), the British actor who became famous for masterpieces like Modern Times (1936) and The Great Dictator (1940). Rather, the comedian in question is 32-year-old Usman Khan of Pakistan.

The toy salesman has made it his life's mission to carry on Chaplin's legacy and keep it alive.

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"It is my purpose to make people laugh, to make them happy, to help them get rid of their grief," Khan told Gulf News Asia.

His plan worked: wearing a hat and cane in true Charlie Chaplin fashion, Khan dances around, jumps into passing rickshaws, and annoys shopkeepers.

With 850,000 followers, the artist from Pakistan has become a TikTok sensation, regularly sharing his latest videos and snapshots on his channel and bringing his fans lots of joy and good humor.

Slapstick has given him a new purpose in life, Khan says, because the Pakistani – like so many of his fellow citizens – lost his full-time job due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"That's why I like to get up like Charlie Chaplin, to hide all my worries and grief," Khan says.