Indian stars from Naga Chaitanya, Nayanthara to Deepika Padukone celebrate special moments with tattoos

Body art is almost always a very meaningful tribute to someone special or a special moment. Stars have been known to sport small and big tattoos. Here’s the reasoning behind the tattoos on some of India’s most popular stars.

Nayanthara used to be in a relationship with actor and dancer Prabhudheva, and even had his name tattooed on her arm. Despite their break-up, Nayanthara didn’t get the tattoo removed. Instead, she modified it to read ‘Positivity’. The South Indian actress recently got married to her longtime beau, director Vignesh Shivan, and even welcomed twin boys through surrogacy.

Naga Chaitanya had earlier revealed that he has a tattoo of the date he got married to actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu. The tattoo was unique because it was inked as a Morse code. They had gotten married on October 6, 2017. However, the couple has since split up, making their announcement in October 2021. Chaitanya had also addressed the idea of fans copying the tattoo, saying he found it inappropriate.

Bollywood actress Janhvi Kapoor paid tribute to her mother by getting a tattoo of a line written by the late actress. “I love you my Labbu,” reads the new ink, taken from a handwritten note from the movie icon. The star also shared a video of the tattooing process. This February, on Sridevi’s third death anniversary, Kapoor posted the full note that read: “I love you my Labbu. You are the best baby in the world.”

Alia's tattoo reads 'Pataka' in Hindi, which we believe matches her personality. Pataka means firecrackers, and we think she's got the spark!

Tattoos are always more than just designs and words. The permanent ink holds special meaning for owners’ hearts, and serve as reminders for people, time or experiences. Bollywood stars also sport interesting tattoos and a few have shared the stories behind them. Here’s a look at some of Bollywood's most talked about tattoos, and what makes them special.

Don't we all adore this devoted dad Akshay Kumar? When his son Aarav was born in 2001, Kumar got his son's name tattooed on his back, making him the ideal family man in Bollywood. The actor has two other tattoos on his body: one on his right shoulder, which he got when his daughter Nitara was six months old, and the other on his left shoulder, which he got as a tribute to his wife Twinkle Khanna. The tattoos are all in an English sans-serif font.

While Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan and ex-wife Sussanne Khan got divorced in 2014, after 14 years of marriage, the couple has stayed close friends. As a birthday present in 2009, the actor got Khan's name tattooed on his left wrist, and in return, Khan got a pair of angel wings inked on her arm with Roshan's name. The couple, who are frequently seen spending quality time with their children Hrehaan and Hridhaan Roshan, also have matching Star of David tattoos on their right wrists.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas is noted for her 'Daddy's li'l girl' tattoo on her right wrist. Her father, Dr Ashok Chopra, died on June 10, 2013, and soon after, she got a tattoo in her father's handwriting in memory of him.

Deepika Padukone's 'RK' tattoo became the talk of the town when she was dating actor Ranbir Kapoor, and more so after they broke up. The tattoo inked on the nape of her neck was later modified into a flower. The actor also has a delicate vine circling around her left ankle, which ends above her foot with her own initials: 'DP'.

Arjun Kapoor sports a couple of tattoos, the latest one is the first letter of the name of his younger sister Anshula. On Monday, Arjun took to Instagram and shared a video of him getting the new tattoo on his wrist. He got the letter 'A' inked along with a spades symbol. The actor, who lost his mother to a battle with cancer in 2012, also has a tattoo dedicated to her. Located on his right wrist is the word "maa" in Hindi, and the design also incorporates a tiny infinity symbol, possibly to represent an eternal bond. On July 29, 2019, Arjun Kapoor also took to his Instagram account to show fans his second tattoo, and the process. That tattoo spells out "per ardua ad astra", which translates to "from adversity to the stars".

Saif Ali Khan's tattoo is self-explanatory, with the name of his wife inked on his forearm. This man adores his lady and his tattoo demonstrates that he will not hesitate to show it! Khan claimed in an interview that his choice to get tattooed was spur of the moment, inspired by a chat he had with Kareena Kapoor Khan about David Beckham's tattoo, which is a dedication to his wife Victoria Beckham. "I wanted to say, 'Look, this is what I did, and it's a fairly big commitment,'" he explained.

The 'Queen' of Bollywood has tattoos that reflect the poise and grace she possesses in both film and real life. Kangana Ranaut has a winged sword and a cherubic angel inked on her body, and we think they're real!

Varun Dhawan's tattoo was initially visible during the marketing of the actor's flick, ‘Kalank’. The number 24 is drawn behind the star's left ear, with the '2' inked in a deep crimson and the '4' in black. Though Dhawan has never revealed the meaning of the number, some have speculated that it is related to his birthday, April 24, 1987.