Achuthanandan to join wax league

A wax sculpture of Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan will soon join those of other public figures in the Celebrity Wax Museum at Lonavala, near Pune, built by renowned wax sculptor Sunil Kandalloor.

Taking time out of his busy schedule, the 90-year-old CPI(M) stalwart spent about two hours with the sculptor at Cantonment House in Thiruvananthapuram last Sunday, posing for photographs even as Mr. Kandalloor took three-dimensional scans and measurements.

The sculptor told The Hindu that the wax model would be ready within a month and that Chief Minister Oommen Chandy would formally unveil it at a function at Mascot Hotel in Thiruvananthapuram. After that the model will be taken back to Lonavala.

Carving figures on wood has been Mr. Kandalloor’s passion since childhood. A diploma-holder in fine arts, he was lured into the world of sculpting wax models 15 years ago. A bust of Lord Krishna was his first work; it is now displayed at the Guruvayur Devaswom Museum, he said. The first life-size wax model he made was that of the late Congress leader K. Karunakaran.

Then in 2005 he set up a museum with 24 life-size wax models of popular figures from the field of arts, sports, religion and politics at the Bay Watch water theme park in Kanyakumari and subsequently another one in Thekkady .

However, after both the museums closed down Mr. Kandalloor decided to start the museum in Lonavala. His brothers Subhashkumar and Sujithkumar run it while Mr. Kandalloor keeps himself busy with artwork.

The museum now has 42 wax models, including those of Narendra Modi, Anna Hazare, Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Angelina Jolie. It is now a major tourist attraction with an average daily footfall of 1500, Mr. Kandalloor said.

And now, Mr. Kandalloor is busy giving shape to his dream project of a museum of international repute that will come up near the Gateway of India in Mumbai.

The museum will have 72 exquisite wax models and will be thrown open this year itself, he said, adding that he is also planning to open another museum at Marine Drive in Kochi in December.