No need to go abroad to experience Madame Tussauds: 5 awesome wax museums across India

If you thought that visiting a wax museum is a farsighted dream, considering the only known option of world famous Madame Tussauds in London and its branches spread across the globe. Well, then here is some good news for you. Right here in India, you can experience the magic of wax replicas of famous personalities that range from film stars, well known dignitaries to politicians and historians.

Not just in one city, India currently boasts of several wax museums located at different metros of the country. We have gifted artists replicating various famous wax models at their studio, trying to create a magical ambience for the Indian audience. Here is the list of few established wax museums that you can catch up right next to your place!!!

1. Baywatch wax museum in Kanyakumari

Set within the premises of Bay Watch water theme amusement park, the wax museum claims to be one of the first wax museums in the country to have been opened to the public in 2005. It is located right adjacent to the famous Kanyakumari beach. With attractive displays of renowned personalities, it’s a treat to watch for. Beautiful statues of Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi, Amitabh Bachchan, Rajnikanth, Shahrukh Khan, Indira Gandhi, Jackie Chan, and also famous South Indian personalities like Mohanlal, Madhu, V S Achuthanandan, Jayalalitha gives the perfect feel to the place.

2. Celebrity Wax Museum, Lonavala

Spread across the lovely hilltops of Lonavala, Celebrity Wax Museum boasts of spacious ambiance with the presence of many celebrity wax models. Curated by Sunil Kandalloor, the place is an easy find considering the billboards on the way. Located on the old Mumbai- Pune Highway just before the Lonavala town, the place has become an instant hit amongst the visitors. The museum has wax replicas of Narendra Modi, Anna Hazare, Shivaji, Kapil Dev, Michael Jackson, Prabhu Deva, Angelina Jolie, Sharad Pawar, A R Rahman, to name a few. For all those who are looking for something new to watch for in the picturesque surroundings of Lonavala, then this is the place for you.

3. Celebrity Wax Museum, Kochi

Crafted by the same artist, Sunil Kandalloor, Celebrity Wax museum also boasts of a branch in Kochi, Kerala. Open at Oberon mall, Kochi, it has more than 40 celebrity wax models including politicians, historians, movie stars and other newsmakers. The display at the museum includes Mahatma Gandhi, V R Krishna Iyer, V S Achuthanandan, K Karunakaran, Anna Hazare, Innocent, Baba Ram Dev, E K Nayanar, Dalai Lama, Sree Narayana Guru, Michael Jackson, Rajanikanth, Subhash Chandra Bose, Baichung Bhutia, Abraham Lincoln, and also the Psy from Gangnam style, among others.

It is believed that Sunil takes one month to complete each model using new technologies like 3D scanners to take the measurement of celebrities. Another major highlight of the museum is that it will also house wax models of famous characters featured in Raja Ravi Varma paintings.

4. Mother’s Wax Museum, Kolkata

Set up in Asansol city of West Bengal, Mother’s Wax Museum is a wonderful creation of artist Susanta Ray. The museum presently features life-size models of Mahatma Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose, Rabindranath Tagore, Jagdish Chandra Bose, to singers like Manna Dey, Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Bengali cine stars Suchitra Sen and Uttam Kumar, also Diego Maradona and Sourav Ganguly, a veritable mix of characters. The museum set up in the satellite township of Rajarhat New Town was thrown open to the public by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the 20th Kolkata International Film Festival.

5. Louis Tussaud’s wax museum, Bangalore

Located in the premises of Innovative film city, Bangalore, unlike other museums, this boasts of being curated by a foreigner Louis Tussand, who was the great-grandson of Marie Tussaud, creator of the Madame Tussauds wax museums. He worked at Madame Tussauds museum as a wax figure sculptor but later left when his brother became the chief artist and manager of the museum.

This museum has its branches across the globe but has no connection with the famous Madame Tussauds wax museums. The collection at the museum offers a wide variety of fiction and reality. One gets the opportunity to see Mona Lisa, read with Shakespeare, sing with the Beatles, have a drink with Humphrey Bogart or woo your favorite Disney princess.

So, for all those who are longing to click pictures with their favourite idols or stars, then here is the golden opportunity for you to pack the bags and experience the fascinating charm of wax magic right next door.

Apart from the above mentioned known wax museums that are built on the lines of Madame Tussauds, we also have many replicas emerging in the tier II cities like Mysore, Ooty, Kodaikanal, Kolhapur that are mainly created on special themes, apart from having celebrities. Few feature the journey of music, the evolution of human beings, while others are based on themes of village life, tribals, etc.)

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