KOCHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, actors Mohanlal and Rajinikanth and 24 other personalities welcome one on entering the museum. However, these are wax figures of famous personalities.
Thiruvananthapuram's first wax museum was inaugurated at East Fort the other day. The museum was launched by Sunil Kandalloor, a Pune-based Malayali who specialises in wax sculptures. He sculpted 27 figures to be displayed at the museum. "I have also made wax figures modelled on former Chief Ministers E K Nayanar and V S Achuthanandan, and the last ruling Maharaja of Travancore Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma. They will be showcased within two weeks," he said.
According to Sunil, the making of Mohanlal’s statue was the biggest challenge. “I had basic measurements of the actor which was taken 10 years ago. Therefore, it took longer than a month," said Sunil. The sculptor hopes to create wax statues of the 50 models depicted in painter Raja Ravi Varma's paintings.
“The wax museum is popular with students. Tickets are priced at Rs 100 but students have 25 per cent discount," said LR Anil Kumar, general manager of the wax museum.
"Previously I had a visited a wax museum in Kanyakumari. But I feel the statues here are more realistic," said Preetha Suresh, a visitor.Sreekumar S, another visitor, said: “The finesse that goes into making these scriptures is great. The sculptor has captured the expressions of these personalities well."A group of teenagers who had come to visit the museum from Chennai were impressed with the statues of activist Anna Hazare and Sachin Tendulkar.