Get Up Close & Personal with Ranveer Singh's New Madame Tussauds Figures!

Indian Superstar's New Figures Takeover London and Singapore Attractions

Ranveer Singh, Bollywood's golden boy, meets not one, but two wax figures of himself at Madame Tussauds on December 18, 2023!

Swati Bhat

Image courtesy: #MadamTussauds official

Singh's climb to popularity was nothing short of legendary, with a string of back-to-back blockbuster singles cementing him as a much-loved Bollywood fixture. From his acting debut in Band Baaja Baaraat (2010) to popular masterpieces Bajirao Mastani (2015), Padmaavat (2018), and Gully Boy (2019), he has starred in several awe-inspiring films abroad. For almost a decade, the celebrity has maintained a high-octane presence in India, appearing on Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list every year since 2012 and being recognised by GQ, India Today, and The Indian Express as one of the country's top 50 most important and powerful people.

Singh's climb to popularity was nothing short of legendary, with a string of back-to-back blockbuster singles cementing him as a much-loved Bollywood fixture. From his acting debut in Band Baaja Baaraat (2010) to popular masterpieces Bajirao Mastani (2015), Padmaavat (2018), and Gully Boy (2019), he has starred in several awe-inspiring films abroad. For almost a decade, the celebrity has maintained a high-octane presence in India, appearing on Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list every year since 2012 and being recognised by GQ, India Today, and The Indian Express as one of the country's top 50 most important and powerful people.

Ranveer Singh was involved in the creative process from start to finish, specifically selecting the different styles and styling for his figures. The neon sherwani made by Manish Arora for Ranveer's wedding ceremonies pays respect to Ranveer's culture and history. Hundreds of individually embroidered embellishments and extravagant leopard head-shoulder designs accent the eye-catching ensemble, which is brought together with a triple-layered diamond and pearl necklace and eight huge gemstone set rings. The Singapore model wears a stunning tailored tuxedo with a velvet coat and flower decorations. Designed by Gaurav Gupta and worn by Ranveer to the Hello! Hall of Fame Awards, the figure was gratefully gifted by Ranveer himself.

The figure was first disclosed in 2019 when the actor received the Madame Tussauds of the Future Award at the International Indian Film Academy when it was confirmed that he would be joining the star-studded attraction. Fans have been anticipating the release of the figure ever since, and today's announcement reveals the debut of not one, but two new figurines of the global superstar.

Ranveer Singh communiquéd after witnessing two of his first-ever stats from the attraction: “As a child, my Mother first told me about Madame Tussauds. Ever since a young age, I’ve had a fascination for this mythical, magical place called Madame Tussauds and it’s been incredible to see how the journey of life works… What an incredible moment it is for me to be here with my Mum, launching my figure at Madame Tussauds London. It’s a hugely proud moment for me and my family. It is a significant achievement to have your figure at Madame Tussauds because the attraction recognises excellence in each respective field, so to be in such an esteemed company feels wonderful. I feel very happy, very humble, very grateful, and very very proud.”

A spokesman for Madame Tussauds London stated of the actor's addition to their A-list lineup: "Ranveer Singh is not merely an actor but a force of creative dynamism. With a line-up of blockbuster hits and an unwavering commitment to social causes, Ranveer Singh’s influence extends beyond just cinema. His impact is felt not only through the lens of entertainment but also through his dedication to creating a more compassionate and equitable world for all. It’s for this reason that his stardom transcends globally and the launch of two new figures sitting in opposite corners of the world are a testament to his undeniable achievements.”

Andre Timmins, Co-Founder of the IIFA, said “It is so exciting for IIFA to be a part of this unveiling for Ranveer’s Madame Tussauds’ figure launch as it was at the 2011 IIFA Awards, Toronto where he won his first Best Debutant Award, and said on stage that "this is just the beginning”. Like IIFA, it truly was just the start of a soaring career, and we are proud as a brand to have been able to take an icon of Indian Cinema and the fraternity to such new heights, with global recognition, and as being honored at Madame Tussauds London.”

Ranveer Singh's London figure will be available for guests to meet in the attraction starting Monday 18th December, joining the likes of Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Beyonce, Cristiano Ronaldo, Deepika Padukone, and 150 other incredibly lifelike celebrity figures.

Ranveer's Singapore figure will be accessible for customers to meet beginning Saturday, December 23rd, in the IIFA Awards Experience zone at Madame Tussauds Singapore. He will appear with celebrities such as Virat Kohli, Karan Johar, Michael Jackson, Priyanka Chopra, and many more.

#thecommuniquenews #thecommunique #tcn #tc #art #lifestyle #RanveerSingh #MadamTussauds #London #Singapore #bollywood

A new fashion display at the Design Museum in London honours the Sari

The first large-scale exhibition in the UK examining the contemporary Indian sari has opened at the Design Museum in London.

Swati Bhat

Image: Design Museum by Andy Stagg; The Offbeat Sari exhibition

'The Offbeat Sari,' on display until September 17, has more than 60 modern saris on loan from designers and studios across India, including the first-ever sari worn at the Met Gala in 2022 and saris constructed of woven steel and frayed denim.

The exhibition, curated by Priya Khanchandani, the Design Museum's head of curatorial, puts one of the world's most recognisable items of clothing front and centre, highlighting the craftsmanship behind the contemporary Indian fashion garment, as well as the "fashion revolution" the sari is currently experiencing.

"The sari is experiencing what is conceivably its most rapid reinvention in its 5,000-year history," says Khanchandani in a statement. "It elevates the sari movement to one of today's most important global fashion stories, despite the fact that little is known about its true nature outside of South Asia." Women in cities who traditionally linked the sari with dressing up are changing it into fresh, radical, daily attire that empowers them to express who they are, while designers play with its materiality with boundless ingenuity."

Conventionally a single piece of unstitched fabric, the sari has been adapted in drape and form over millennia, explains the exhibition, to reflect identity, social class, taste and function across time and geography, and remains an enduring part of life in India today. Yet in recent decades, for many, the sari has been considered traditional or uncomfortable as a form of everyday clothing, especially by young people.

The Offbeat Sari exhibition opens at the Design Museum

However, in the past decade, the sari has been “reenergised” and elevated as a fashion item, with many designers in India experimenting with hybrid forms such as sari gowns, pre-draped saris, and innovative materials such as steel, as well as using contemporary materials such as denim.

This revolution it adds is being driven by young people in cities, who previously associated the sari with dressing up but are now wearing the versatile garment with sneakers on their commutes to work.

Khanchandani added: “For me and for so many others, the sari is of personal and cultural significance, but it is also a rich, dynamic canvas for innovation, encapsulating the vitality and eclecticism of Indian culture.

“With last month’s news that it has become the world’s most populated country, India’s significance within contemporary culture is vast, and the sari foregrounds the country’s undeniable imagination and verve, while asserting the relevance of Indian design on a global stage.”

Design Museum displays more than 60 saris

The exhibition is divided into three main sections: transformation, identity and resistance and new materialities, highlighting over 60 saris from growing global brands to emerging studios, including Abraham & Thakore, Raw Mango, Akaaro and NorBlackNorWhite, as well as Amit Aggarwal, Huemn, Diksha Khanna, Bodice, Tarun Tahilian, Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, and Sabyasachi.

The transformation section highlights the work of the designers in India who have fuelled the experimentation of recent years, such as a sari adorned with sequins cut from disused X-ray images obtained from hospital waste and by Abraham & Thakore, a distressed denim sari by Diksha Khanna and a lacquered sari drape wrapped around a plinth in a form of conceptual play on the sari by contemporary artist Bharti Kher.

This leads into a section dedicated to how the sari is being crafted as an expression of identity and resistance, from empowering the female body to using the sari as an object of protest. Examples include the red silk sari worn by Tamil-Swiss singer-songwriter Priya Ragu, a block-print sari worn by self-proclaimed ‘Saree Man’ Himanshu Verma and the ‘Arch’ sari by Adavid styled with a shirt by Bangladeshi architect and advocate for body positivity Sobia Ameen. There are also saris worn by female demonstrators in rural India such as The Gulabi Gang and The Hargila Army as a tool for protest. There is even a section showing how young women are wearing saris to climb, play cricket, and skateboard.

The final section, new materialities, looks at the sari as a textile, showing the intricacy of sari craftsmanship from weaves, patterns, texture and colours to surface embellishment, alongside sustainable innovations and designers pushing the boundaries. This includes a golden sari by Rimzim Dadu constructed from hair-thin stainless steel wires to create a gold sculpted wave.

Other highlights from the exhibition include a copy of Tarun Tahiliani’s foil jersey sari worn by Lady Gaga, Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla’s ruffled sari worn by Bollywood star Deepika Padukone at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022, and the first-ever sari worn to the Met Gala designed by Sabyasachi, and styled with a gold Schiaparelli bodice worn by businesswoman and socialite Natasha Poornawalla.

Tim Marlow, chief executive and director at the Design Museum, added: “It’s in the Design Museum’s mission to examine the world as it is today across geographies. The Offbeat Sari highlights design’s role in a huge fashion story that’s little-known outside India, providing a site for us to reflect, with our partners and lenders in India, and the South Asian diaspora here, on the impact of India's fashion creativity.

“Indian textiles have long been explored ethnographically in international museums and we are excited to be presenting cutting-edge Indian fashion to UK audiences in London this summer.”

‘The Offbeat Sari’ at the Design Museum runs until 17 September.

#thecommunique #tcn #tc #Art #exibition #TDM #london #sari #indianfashion

Alicia Keys' song, 'Empire State of Mind' draws in criticism

Washington [US], June 07: American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys confused fans after giving a performance on her chartbuster song "Empire State of Mind" at the Queen's Platinum Jubilee concert. Many claimed that her choice of the song about New York didn't sit well with the British event.

Pritish Bagdi

According to Twitter users, they did not understand why Alicia chose to sing such a song which talked about a love letter written to New York while performing at a British celebration, reported Page Six. "Why is Alicia Keys singing about how amazing New York City is at an event to celebrate the Queen? Maybe choose another song?" wrote a Twitter user.

Besides Alicia's decision to perform an unfitting song, she also belted out her love for New York in front of such a large audience at the Buckingham Palace, which led to further disapproval from fans as well as from several Britishers, reported Page Six. "When I'm in London I feel like I'm home. It reminds me of New York," Alicia spoke before beginning her performance on the "Empire State of Mind" song. Naturally, Alicia's choice of words drew in a lot of criticism, reported Page Six. "How to win and lose your audience in 5 seconds," tweeted a user.

Around 22,000 guests were invited to attend the Platinum Party at the Palace concert on June 4, where notable artists like Hans Zimmer, and Queen gave an amazing performance. At the event, David Beckham, Dame Julie Andrews and Sir David Attenborough also made guest appearances, while Elton John entertained the audience with a specially recorded performance.

The Platinum Jubilee celebrates Queen Elizabeth's 70 years of reign in London.

#thecommunique #tc #tcn #alicia #music #event #queenelizabeth #london #platinumjubilee