MUMBAI: Rapper Big Deal says he was discriminated against for his looks as a child, and it was superstar Shah Rukh Khan and his journey to success that inspired him to overcome that difficult period.

The rapper, whose real name is Samir Mohanty, has paid tribute to Shah Rukh on his birthday with a rap single "Shahrukh Khan Flow".

"I was a huge Shah Rukh Khan fan as a kid. I would dance and sing to many of his songs and wanted to be like him when I grew up. I had a difficult childhood where I was discriminated (against) and picked on for looking different," Big Deal said.

"Somehow, I felt I would fit in and not be an outsider by being like Shah Rukh Khan because everyone loved SRK so much. This is my token of appreciation in the form of a song, a dedication to Shah Rukh Khan for inspiring me. The song is also dedicated to Samir Bangara and Sushant Singh Rajput," he added.

The Bollywood infused hip hop track comes with wordplay about his own cultural heritage. It also pays homage to personalities such as Rishi Kapoor, Irrfan Khan, Samir Bangara, and Sushant Singh Rajput.

Born in Puri and raised in Darjeeling, the Bengaluru-based rapper previously released the album "One Kid Wth A Dream", featuring the Odia rap "Mu heli odia" and the viral hit "Are you Indian".

(Source: IANS)