New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today joined the ranks of prominent world leaders when his wax figures took up residence at Madame Tussauds branches in Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok. Modi, 65, had come face-to-face with himself in wax on Monday at a private viewing organised at his 7, Race Course Road residence. That figure will now travel to Madam Tussauds headquarters in London and will open to the public on April 28.
The statue shows Modi, with folded hands in ‘namaste’ style, dressed in white kurta pyjama and cream jacket. “What can I say? As far as art is concerned, the Madame Tussauds team is exceptional at what they do. What Lord Brahma does normally is what the artists there are doing. Today, I had an opportunity as the prime servant of my people to meet my wax figure,” says Modi in a video posted by Madame Tussauds.
All four figures took the world famous museum’s team of artists four months and cost 150,000 pounds to create. The video, in which the Prime Minister is seen closely examining the statue, was recorded when it was shown to him.
Madame Tussauds, the celebrated wax museum of London established in 1836, has branches in 20 cities across the world. Officials of the museum had taken Modi’s physical details and photographs in March when they visited his residence here.
In London, the statue will join other world leaders like US President Barack Obama, British Prime Minister David Cameron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francoise Holland on April 28. The museum also has such statutes of Mahatma Ghandi and Winston Churchill.
“We will be delighted to welcome Mr Modi to the world stage at Madame Tussauds London,” Madam Tussauds General Manager Edward Fuller said. “It’s wonderful that he (Modi) had the opportunity to see his figure in India earlier this week before the public get the chance to meet him in London.
“His social media following shows just what immense interest there is in him and I’m sure that interest will be apparent here too as guests get the chance to stand shoulder to shoulder with one of the most influential men in the world. And maybe even grab a selfie,” Fuller added.
