Aishwarya Rai’s wax model on display at New York Madame Tussauds

16 August, 2007

BY OUR CELEBRITY REPORTER

The wax model of Aishwarya Rai, Bollywood actress and former Miss World, is on a six-week display at the Madame Tussauds Museum’s branch at Time Square in New York, the United States, starting August 15, 2007.

This is first time that the wax model of an Indian showbiz celebrity is being displayed at the New York branch of Madame Tussauds, the world-famous wax museum located in London.

Mahatma Gandhi has been the only Indian figure on display until now at the New York branch of Madame Tussauds.

It took three days for the New York staff of Madame Tussauds to get Aishwarya’s wax figure ready for display after it was shipped from London as finishing touches had to be applied a day before the unveiling.

Within minutes of unveiling of her life-like model dressed in an intricately patterned red salwar kameez, Aishwarya’s fans in New York began flocking to the museum to see the waxwork.

The unveiling of the model coincided with India’s 60th Independence Day celebration on August 15, 2007.

Many of Aishwarya’s admirers said the six weeks were too short a period for all fans from New York City and neighbouring states to see their favourite star in wax.

Besides Aishwarya Rai, the only Indian film personalities having their wax models at Madame Tussauds in London are her father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, and Tamil superstar Rajnikanth.

Other Indian attractions at the museum are Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi.

Aishwarya Rai’s waxwork was unveiled at Madame Tussauds, London, in 2004, timed with the release of her first international film Bride and Prejudice.

Madame Tussauds, set up by Frenchwoman Marie Tussauds in London in 1835, now has branches in Amsterdam, Las Vegas, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and New York. Washington, DC, will be added to the list in October 2007.

Rosemary A Preta, director of marketing, Madame Tussauds, New York, told CNBC-TV18: “It’s very exciting. We’ve already started to hear back from fans who are very anxious to see Aishwarya Rai, knowing that she is only here for a limited time. So, they want to come within the next couple of weeks just to make sure they get a glimpse of Rai herself.”

The museum expects to add to its Indian collection after seeing the enthusiastic response to the Aishwarya Rai display.

Meanwhile, Aishwarya Rai and actor-husband Abhishek Bachchan continue to make international news.

Both were caught on camera for the special screening of the movie Guru, directed by Mani Ratnam, in Los Angeles, the United States, on the eve of India’s 60th Independence anniversary.

The leading Bollywood couple was also present at the India Splendor film festival in Los Angeles that features an exhibition of several Bollywood movies.

Aishwarya Rai is set to star in the sequel to The Pink Panther along with actor Steve Martin.