This Indian Artist Paints Actresses From Different Eras Into Giant, Stunning Works Of Art

    Stars on a canvas.

    Karima Khan
    by Karima Khan

    BuzzFeed Senior Support Specialist

    As a tribute to one of India's greatest painters, Raja Ravi Verma, and his painting "A Galaxy of Musicians," Indian artist Greg Fernandes created a series of paintings that feature iconic Bollywood, Hollywood and Chinese actresses.

    Creative Commons / "A Galaxy of Musicians" by Raja Ravi Verma. / Via commons.wikimedia.org

    "India’s first movie 'Raja Harishchandra' opens with a scene of a tableaux patterned on the painting by Varma. Hence, I thought it would be fitting to pay a tribute to Varma and Bollywood combined," Greg Fernandes told BuzzFeed India in a message.

    Greg Fernandes / Via Facebook: artofgregfernandes

    Featured here, according to movie and song, are Sridevi (Sadma, Surmayee Akhiyon Mein), Madhubala (Mughal-e-azam, Pyar Kiya to darna kya), Nargis (Mother India), Hema Malini (Sholay, Jab tak hain jaan), Madhuri Dixit (Hum aapke hain kaun, Didi tera dewar diwana), Waheeda Rehman (Choudhavin ka chaand, choudhavin ka chand), Kajol (DDLJ, Mehandi lagaa ke rakhna), Nutan (Bandini, Mora gora rang laile), Vyjanthimala (Sangam, Yeh mera prem patra), Meena Kumari (Pakeezah, Thade rahiyo), Fearless Nadia aka Mary Evans, (Hunterwali), Rekha (Umrao jaan, In aakhon ki masti), Suraiya (Mirza Ghalib, Dil e nadaan tujhe kya hua hai), Devika Rani (Achyut Kanya), Jaya Bhaduri (Abhimaan, Piya Bina)

    Greg Fernandes / Via Facebook: artofgregfernandes

    Featured here, according to movie and song, are Juhi Chawla (Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Gazab ka Hai Din), Sonali Bendre (Sarfarosh, Jo Haal Dil Ka), Divya Bharati (Deewana - Aisi Deewangi), Madhuri Dixit (Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, Didi Tera Dewar Deewana), Pooja Bhatt (Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin, Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin) Kajol (DDLJ, Mehandi Laga Ke Rakhna), Twinkle Khanna (Mela, Kamariya Lachhke Re), Raveen Tandon (Mohra, Tu Cheez Badi Hai), Ayesha Jhulka (Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar - Pehla Nasha), Urmila Matondkar (Rangeela, Tanha Tanha) Manisha Koirala (1942, A Love Story, Rooth Na Jaana)

    Fernandes has been painting the series for the past 6 years. Each painting is 5 to 6 feet wide and initially took about 8 to 9 months to finish but now gets done in a month and half.

    Greg Fernandes / Via Facebook: artofgregfernandes

    Featured in this painting are Leena Chandavarkar, (Mehboob ki Mehndi, Yeh jo chilman hai), Babita (Kismat, Kajra Mohabatwala), Bina Rai (Taj Mahal, Paoon chhoolene do phoolon ko inayat hogi), Rajshree (Brahmachari, Dil ke jharoke mein), Saira Bano (Padosan, Ek Chatir Nar), Sadhana (Mera Saaya, Jhumka gira re), Mumtaz (Do raaste, Bindiya chamkegi), Nanda (Jab jab phool Khil, yeh sama, sama hai ye pyar ka), Asha Parekh (Teesri Manzil, Aaja aaja), Tanuja (Haathi mere sathi, Chal chal chal mere saathi) and Sharmila Tagore (Kashmir ki kali, Yeh chand sa roshan)

    I wanted to show that a painting can cross cultures, languages, people, musical instruments, songs, movies, attires, eras, et al. It's how you, as a viewer interpret it. Every painting in this world is 'worth a thousand paintings.'
    Greg Fernandes / Via Facebook: artofgregfernandes

    Featured here, according to movie and song, are Nargis (Shree 420, Pyar hua ikrar hua), Geeta Bali (Jaal, Pighla hai sona door gagan par), Suchitra Sen (Devdas), Nimmi (Barsaat, Barsaat mein), Meena Kumari (Sahib bibi aur ghulam, Pyar aiso jiya mein), Vyjayanthimala (Madhumati, Dil tadap tadap ke), Waheeda Rehman (Chaudhvin ka chand, chaudhvin ka chand), Mala Sinha (Dhool ka phool, Tere Pyaar Ka Aasra Chaahta Hoon), Madhubala (Mughal-e-azam, Pyar kiya to darna kya), Padmini (Jis desh mein ganga behti hai, O basanti pawan paagal), Nutan (Bandini, Mora gora rang laile).

    Greg Fernandes / Via Facebook: artofgregfernandes

    Featured here are internationally acclaimed Chinese actresses Zhang Jingchu, Michele Yeoh, Joan Chen, Tang Wei, Li Bingbing, Gong Li, Yu Nan, Liu Yifei and Zhang Ziyi.

    Greg Fernandes / Via Facebook: artofgregfernandes

    Featured here are Hollywood actresses Bette Davis, Greta Garbo, Ingrid Bergman, Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland, Audrey Hepburn, Joan Crawford, Elizabeth Taylor and Katherine Hepburn.

    The paintings are not being showcased anywhere as of now. Fernandes plans to exhibit them as soon as he adds a few more to the series. You can follow him on Facebook here.