Ash's wax statue

Bollywood superstar and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai yesterday became the first Indian celebrity to have her wax model displayed at Madame Tussauds Museum in historic Time Square here.

Within minutes of unveiling of her life-like model dressed in intricately patterned red Sari, her fans in New York began flocking the museum to admire the waxwork.

The unveiling of the model, borrowed by the New York Madame Tussauds from its parent museum in London, coincided with the India’s 60th Independence Day celebration and will be on display for six weeks before being sent back.

But several of her fans, who had gathered at the museum, said the six weeks were too short a period for all fans from New York City and neighboring states to see their favorite star in wax.

A group of dancers, dressed in ‘lahengas’ and matching blouses, gave a scintillating performance during the 15 minute unveiling ceremony. The dances portrayed several of her popular songs.

In the museum, Rai is in the company of several other celebrities including Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.

Besides Rai, the only Indian film personalities immortalised at Madame Tussauds in London are her father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan, super star Shah Rukh Khan and Tamil superstar Rajnikanth. Other Indian attractions at the museum are Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.

But Rai became the first Indian celebrity to be displayed in New York. Rai’s waxwork was unveiled in London in 2004, timed with the release of her first international film, “Bride and Prejudice”, directed by London-based Gurinder Chadha. She was present during the unveiling in London.

Director of Marketing of the New York Museum Rosemary Preta said the coming of Rai’s waxwork to New York fulfills the long standing demand of her fans.

Set up by Frenchwoman Marie Tussauds in London in 1835, the world famous museum now has branches in Amsterdam, Las Vegas, Hong Kong and Shanghai, besides New York, with Washington DC to be added to the list in October 2007.