Madame Tussauds is scheduled for a grand opening on December 1, in New Delhi.
The new branch of the museum — which is present in 22 countries — will feature a range of celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, in addition to icons from music, sport, politics and history.
Ever since Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan’s wax statue was created and displayed at Madame Tussauds in London in 2000, the demand for a Madame Tussauds experience has grown among Indians. Housing more than 2,000 wax figures including 11 Indian personalities, it has been a favourite with Indian tourists visiting the British city. The museum appeared most recently in Shah Rukh Khan’s Fan.
Marcel Kloos, director, new openings Europe and emerging markets, Merlin Entertainments, the owner of the Madame Tussauds brand, said: “We decided to set it up in New Delhi after looking at the positive response to the Indian stars kept at Madame Tussauds in London and Singapore. What was important for us was the right location.”
The museum is set up at the Regal Cinema complex that housed Standard, a famous restaurant that commanded a panoramic view of Connaught Place from its tall windows, until it shut down in 2006.
Anshul Jain, general manager and director of Merlin Entertainment, said: “Considering the heritage of India, the largest financial and commercial business centre, Connaught Place, in the heart of the city, is the perfect location for us.”
“Every single attraction of Madame Tussauds is a special edition and differs in displays and planning. Just as London, Hollywood and Shanghai museums are different from one another, similarly, Delhi will provide as unique and holistic experience like no other,” Jain said.
It will have 50 wax statues with almost 30 of them being Indian celebrities such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bachchan and Khan.
Initially, three figures were unveiled in New Delhi, making the event one of the most talked about in the Capital. While Bachchan was dressed in a blue bandgala, Lady Gaga, sported a black outfit. Wax sculptor and founder of Madame Tussauds, Marie Tussaud, wore a happy look. Over time, the first wax figure of Indian cricket icon Kapil Dev was unveiled. The incredibly detailed figure is sculpted in an iconic bowling pose, depicting him from the memorable victory of the Cricket World Cup in 1983. Similarly, Milkha Singh’s figure is sculpted in a sprint pose chosen from his victorious win at the Commonwealth Games in 1958.
The museum has a dedicated sports zone; involving sports icons including football stars David Beckham and Lionel Messi, and cricketer Sachin Tendulkar.
The figure of actress Madhubala, recognised for her beauty, is styled from her most admired Anarkali character from the movie Mughal-e-Azam. Likewise, singer Asha Bhosle is dressed in an cream and gold sari in a singing pose with a mic. The singer is a Guinness Book of Records holder for singing the maximum number of songs (11,000) in more than 20 languages since 1947.
The special music and movies zone will display both Indian and international icons including Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghoshal, Michael Jackson, Beyonce, Marilyn Monroe, Angelina Jolie, Scarlett Johansson, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lopez, Kate Winslet, Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber.
The wax models are created 2 per cent larger than the actual person, as that much wax is lost during the modelling process. More than 500 body measurements are referenced and the head and the body are sculpted separately; the head alone takes a month to create because each hair is attached individually and countless layers of paints and tints are applied to build up skin tones to achieve the realism. The hands are never sculpted; they are created using a live cast because of the details involved.
All the figurines are made in London and shipped across the world to museums in different countries. Each statue takes about four months to be completed and costs almost £1.5 million (Dh7.3 million) .
Just as its counterparts across the globe, the New Delhi Madame Tussauds will allow visitors to touch and click pictures with their favourite statues. But as Kloos put in: “Since you get the exclusive opportunity to touch them, there is gong to be a well-trained local team to make sure that the quality of the statues do not get compromised on any account.”
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MEET STEVE MANSFIELD, THE PRINCIPAL SCULPTOR FOR MADAME TUSSAUDS
What sensibilities do you keep in mind while working on wax figures of famous personalities?
We tend to approach the sculpting of any figure in the same basic technical methods that we use to achieve any portrait. The challenge is often in terms of familiarity. Because of the global nature of Madame Tussauds brand, the sculptors here at the studio inevitably work on celebrities whom they are not necessarily familiar with. This is where a rigid adherence to the technical processes of our portrait sculpting — measurements, the correct reading of photographs, digital overlays, etc, is a must. However, to get a better sense of their character, it is vital to thoroughly research about the celebrity you are sculpting. We have a research team that helps with this and have guidance from the agents and families of those we sculpt, as well as from the celebrities themselves. This way, we can produce not only an accurate figure, but also one that has a real ‘feel’ of that person.
How keen has Prime Minister Narendra Modi been on the process and progress of his wax figure?
I am honoured to have worked with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The experience was overwhelming. The PM displayed patience and curiosity about our work. He was extremely concerted in his efforts and gave us a total of 250 measurements in one sitting. He even sat through the entire process while we noted his posture, continuously encouraging us and showing enthusiasm about the exercise. As a brand, we are very proud to get the opportunity to create his figure. I have also had the delight to work with one of India’s favourite heartthrobs Shah Rukh Khan, who was equally generous in spending his time with our team.
Having met a wide variety of celebrities, who has made the most significant impact on you?
Indian cinema and actors are exciting and intriguing. There is a wealth of films that Bollywood produces, which I enjoy watching. Before we approach an actor, I try to watch as many films of the actor as I can. The practice of mindfulness has been an old habit of mine. It gives me the opportunity to familiarise myself to their on-screen and off-screen image as an artist and sculptor. This is the general approach we have for all our celebrities.
What is the process employed to get the exact replica of the celebrity?
The first step is sculpting and moulding. Measurements from sittings are used to make a metal armature to replicate the pose, and the head and hands are then sculpted from clay, from which plaster moulds are taken. A mixture of beeswax and Japan wax heated to 74 degrees is poured into the moulds. The plaster casts are removed once the wax has cooled. The second step is hair and styling. The eyes are made from acrylic, with silk threads to stimulate the veining of the eye, while the iris is hand painted. The hair are individually inserted by hand, washed, and then cut and styled to finish. The figure is painted using layers of oil-based paints to replicate the skin tone. The third and final phase is the finished figure, where the head and hands are fitted to the body, which is then dressed.
How are the outfits chosen and is every celebrity content with the end result?
We are often very lucky about celebrities donating outfits. Many of our figures wear original clothes or costumes, which have been provided by the family, management or estates of celebrities. This adds authenticity to the finished figure. Our team of costumers creates historical outfits for film characters with advice from film companies and experts. Most figures are designed to restyle, so if a change or an update is required, we can accommodate that. It must be a surreal experience, seeing your own self, recreated in wax, and most celebrities find it a bit overwhelming. Often it is their families and friends who see the person more objectively and suggest small touches to make the figure even more accurate.
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MADAME TUSSAUDS IN NUMBERS
• Madame Tussaud was born Marie Grosholtz in Strasbourg in 1761.
• She married Francois Tussaud in 1795.
• She learnt the art of creating wax sculptors from a doctor who sculpted human anatomy.
• Her first wax figure was of French philosopher and writer Francois Voltaire in 1777.
• She toured Europe for 33 years as a part of moving exhibition to depict her wax works.
• She opened her first museum in 1835 at London’s Baker Street, which exhibited wax figures of victims of French Revolution.
• The museum moved to its present location on Marylebone Street, in 1884.
• Mother Teresa is the only person who declined an offer to have a wax model sculpted, saying, her “work is more important than the physical being.”
• Madame Tussauds has presence in New York, San Francisco, Washington DC, Amsterdam, Berlin, Beijing, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Shanghai, Sydney and Singapore.
