From movie ticket collector to GM, expat recalls journey

UAE is a nation that empowers ordinary people to live with dignity, says Indian expat who has lived here for 50 years

- Zenifer Khaleel

In 1974, at just 19, Indian expat B Abdul Jabbar embarked on his remarkable journey in the UAE, starting as a ticket collector at Abu Dhabi's El Dorado Cinema. At the time, it was the city's only covered theatre and a popular gathering spot for the diverse communities of India, Pakistan, and the Arab world, all coming together to enjoy Hindi cinema.

"The theatre was always buzzing, especially when a Dilip Kumar movie was playing," Jabbar told Khaleej Times.

What began as a modest job in a bustling cinema would eventually lead to a career spanning five decades. Today, at 70, Jabbar is still actively working as the general manager of the wholesale division at Baniyas Spike Group, where he works six days a week and has no plans to retire soon.

Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his three children and three grandchildren, all living in the UAE. Dedicated to his health, Jabbar also maintains a daily routine of walking for nearly an hour and a half.

Born in 1955 at his ancestral home on Thayyil-Kuruva Road in Kannur, Kerala, Jabbar's early years were rooted in simplicity.

After completing his education up to the seventh grade at St Antony's Thayyil, he went on to attend Chovva High School.

A neighbour who worked in Abu Dhabi helped Jabbar secure his visa, setting the stage for his life-changing move to the UAE on June 14, 1974. "It was a different time," Jabbar recalled.