For years people lined up to watch moving images of their favourite stars at Regal cinema. When the curtains came down on the iconic hall in March, many of us felt disappointed. Now, in the same building, stars from different streams are getting ready to be embraced by their legion of fans. Having been the talk of the town for quite a while now, Madame Tussauds is finally all set to throw open its doors to the public on December 1. Ensconced in the historic Regal Building at Connaught Place, this 23rd attraction of Merlin Entertainments in the world, has several alluring wax figures of international and Indian political leaders, celebrity artists and even a handful of Hollywood names. The tallest among them is Mahatma Gandhi. Then there are hugely popular kings and queens of entertainment, Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Kareena Kapoor, Asha Bhosle, Angelina Jolie and Tom Cruise among others.
Mahatma Gandhi
A sneak peek of the museum for select media and its interactive activities for invited visitors revealed that the place has a lot to offer. Yet one wondered in this digital age where stars stream live on mobile phones, will the museum be patronised by a large number? Going by the trend, museums and zoos have witnessed a decline in footfall. Anshul Jain, General Manager and Director of Merlin, India, feels otherwise. “All our attractions continue to be visited in large numbers. In fact, a large percentage of Indians going abroad, do make it a point to visit Madame Tussauds. So, with one in the Capital itself, we are expecting it to be a hit.”
Going by what is being offered, Jain’s optimism does not seem far fetched. Right at the entry, India’s sports icon, Sachin Tendulkar along with Hollywood star, Leonardo De Caprio, seem to invite guests into the 20,000 square feet area. Inside, there is youngsters’ heartthrob Salman Khan on a rickshaw to Kick -start the journey. With the attentive staff encouraging people to sit on the rickshaw, there was a beeline to get pictures clicked by in house photographers. “Being a superstar, we know people would love being clicked with him. Besides selfies being popular, visitors can stand or hold their favourite figure and click too,” says Jain.
Selfie craze
Wigs and chunnis are available for those wanting variation in pictures. Other figures here include that of graceful Madhubala in her well known Anarkali pose from the classic movie Mughal-e-Azam , Raj Kapoor placed strategically next to his grandson, Ranbir Kapoor to denote Bollywood’s first family, Marilyn Monroe and Anil Kapoor as quiz host, a role he essayed in Slumdog Millionaire . The selfie craze was apparent the moment Tom Cruise astride a bike was spotted. Some of the media persons were eager to ride pillion, holding Cruise tightly, for a selfie.
Madhubala
Making it a point to cater to a variety of interests, the museum has a section dedicated to leaders and history, giving space to replicas of Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagat Singh and Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, among others. The much publicised Narendra Modi figure in immaculate white dress too will soon join this section. The lifelike figures depict forehead wrinkles and lines on the palm. “We take nearly 250 measurements and 180 photographs of the personality from different angles, besides making hand and dental casts,” says Petra Van Der Meer, Regional Studio Manager, Asia. “Each figure resembles the person in total, with changes being effected over a period of time, with their prior permission. For example, if there is a change in hair style or body, we try to incorporate that.” Not just the figures but accessories too play a crucial role lending a touch of authenticity. Gandhiji’s pocket watch and the pen, ink stand and blotter pad in front of Subhas Chandra Bose and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Raj Kapoor’s tramp figure wearing torn shoes all make them realistic.
Raj Kapoor
The back stage section leads one to Asha Bhosle and Sonu Nigam ready to croon for you with mics in their hand, the smiling Zakir Hussain and Lady Gaga. Keeping people’s fascination for movies and entertainment, the A list party area will be the hot spot of the museum. Making it here are Kareena Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Amitabh Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, in company of international stars Anne Hathway, Angelina Jolie, Will Smith and Scarlett Johansson. “Figures of Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Jennifer Lopez and Justin Bieber will also be included,” informs Jain.
Wear and tear
Without any barricades or restrictions, wear and tear of figures and accessories is expected. “Of course,” replies Petra. “Making each figure costs around ₹1.5 crore, so maintenance is a must. For that we have a battery of staff. All of them with fine arts background and extensively trained, will take care of the face and hair style, giving touch up and keeping a check on accessories.”
Keeping in mind the short attention span of millennals, Madame Tussauds has included a number of interactive activities. The leaders’ area has gadgets furnishing information on the personalities and a provision for playing a quiz. Those wishing to be part of the famous Crorepati programme can try their luck answering seven questions sitting opposite Anil Kapoor while visitors keen on physical activity, can shoot hockey penalty strikes or don boxing gloves to test their strength.
All this fun and activities comes for a price with ticket being pegged at ₹960 for adults and ₹760 for children. Disagreeing that the entry fee is on the higher side, Jain expects up to 2000 guests on weekdays with it going up to 5,000 on weekends. “We will restrict the number to 450 people at a time to ensure a hassle free and enjoyable visit,” avers Jain
