Look who’s got waxed!
On Wednesday, March 16, the famous Madame Tussauds wax museum announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would join the ranks of prominent global leaders in London, Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok next month.
While Modi isn’t the first Indian to be featured at the famous tourist attraction, he will surely be one of the most popular.
The wax statue, which is to be unveiled later in April, will also allow Modi, albeit the wax figure, to do what the PM really likes doing -- taking selfies!
Rediff.com takes a look at the other famous housemates at the museum.
1) The Obamas
Modi will be super excited to know that his good friend ‘Barack’ also has its own wax statue at the museum. May be, Madame Tussauds would like to get one with both the ‘friends’ hugging.
Photograph: Larry Downing/Reuters
2) David Cameron
The British prime minister was inducted into the museum in 2010. The replica features a mock-up of 10 Downing Street, the official residence of the British PM.
Photograph: Luke MacGregor/Reuters
3) Pope Francis
He is regarded as one of the ‘coolest’ church heads, so it’s not surprising that Pope Francis has a wax structure of himself at the New York division of the museum.
Way to go, Pope Francis!
Photograph: Cindy Ord/Getty Images
4) Sachin Tendulkar
To many, he is the ‘God of Cricket’, so the Master Blaster has his own space at the wax museum. May be, Modi and Sachin would be able to spread cricket mania amongst the other personalities.
Photograph: David Gray/Reuters
5) Mahatma Gandhi
The ‘Father of the Nation’ is one of the other Indians who also has a space at the wax museum.
Photograph: Fox Photos/Getty Images
6) William and Kate
The British royal couple grabbed eyeballs and captured the hearts of people when they announced they were getting married. William, Kate and the Queen were also later shown together -- providing visitors the perfect royal selfie!
Photograph: Don Arnold/Getty Images
7) Dalai Lama
He’s one of the world’s most revered men and is worshipped by millions of people across the globe. And the Dalai Lama took residence in Sydney, at the Madame Tussads museum in 2014. His Holiness is the latest big name to be immortalised in wax for visitors to the site in DarlingHarbour.
Photograph: Madame Tussauds/Getty Images
8) Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela, the beloved South African anti-apartheid champion, also features at the museum.
Photograph: Yuya Shino/Reuters
9) Angela Merkel
In 2013, the German chancellor got her own wax statue at the museum. Today, Angela Merkel has three figurines of herself at the various museums across the world.
Photograph: Carsten Koall/Getty Images
10) Hitler
In 2008, the famous wax museum unveiled the wax figure of Adolf Hitler as a broken man in his final days in his bunker. Critics condemned the inclusion of Hitler as tasteless and liable to attract neo-Nazis.
Photograph: Steffen Kugler/Getty Images