Phoenix MarketCity Viman Nagar, in association with ND Studios, has installed wax statues of Hollywood legends like Michael Jackson, Harry Potter, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and several others. If you like to take a glimpse of these iconic stars, head to Hollywood — Wax of Fame.
Established in 2005 by National Award winning art director and production designer Nitin Chandrakant Desai, ND Studios is a film and television production studio located in Karjat, near Mumbai. The studio offers various services like artwork, production, post-production, set design, set production etc.
In the past, Desai has done art direction for films like Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love (1996), Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Devdas (2002), Munnabhai M.B.B.S. (2003), Dostana (2008), Gandhi, My Father (2007) etc. As a production designer, he has also worked for films like Jodhaa Akbar (2008), Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005), Lagaan (2001), Traffic Signal (2007) and so on.
Here’s chatting him up:
What was the idea behind curating Hollywood — Wax of Fame?
When the Phoenix team visited our studio we had a detailed discussion on creating something unique, which has never been done so far. Considering Pune and its growing cosmopolitan crowd, and knowing their love for Hollywood stars or characters from various iconic movies, we zeroed in on creating a Hollywood — Wax of Fame. However, the challenge or rather the excitement was to create wax statues in a public space which witnesses huge footfall. That was the start of our engagement and I’m glad that we could pull it off and our efforts are being appreciated by the audience. Plus it’s the first time in India that a mall is hosting wax statue installations which itself adds a unique dimension to the whole concept.
How did you decide which Hollywood stars should be a part of this installation?
The idea was to cater to a larger audience. We had a bunch of star wax statues at display in our studio. We decided to create a mix of stars which would attract different age groups. For example, Mr. Bean and Harry Potter will be loved by kids; Marilyn Monroe will attract the retro crowd, youngsters will love Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, and Will Smith; and action lovers will be in for a treat as they can get up close with their all-time favourites like Bruce Willis, Jackie Chan, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Johnny Depp (Jack Sparrow), among others.
Given that Madam Tussauds in London, New York, and now Delhi is so popular, how did you work around the wax statues so that they have their own uniqueness?
We have a good relationship with one of the wax companies and have a very good mutual professional understanding with them. This long-standing association has helped us put a lot of importance on detailing and focusing on minute things while creating any statue. In the future, we are going to work with the same coordination and create such unique things.
If you had to create a collection of wax statues from Bollywood, who all would be a part of it?
We would like to create Bollywood superstars from the various eras. Personalities like Amitabh Bachchan, Three Khans, Madhuri, Meena Kumari, Hema Malini, Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, Alia Bhatt, Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh.
With VFX and other advanced techniques, has the role of a set designer changed?
It has witnessed a huge transformation over the past few decades and it has been continuously evolving. With new technology including cameras, visual effects and new materials being introduced the role of a set designer has changed considerably. It has, in a way become easier but one needs to have knowledge regarding the latest technologies and materials. The process of using Plaster of Paris was different than the process used for fibre which is the current trend.
How much time do you spend with the script to understand what kind of set is needed for a film?
Firstly, we take the script from the storyteller and convert it from the 2D to a 3D format with the help of new technology. The time taken for the setup also depends on the category of the script as well.
What is your advice to aspiring set designers?
I would say one should be updated with the latest techniques and past technologies. They should be aware of various aspects pertaining to creative work. Some of the key attributes one should possess are hard work, patience and having the vision to learn the new perspective of set designing.
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Hollywood — Wax of Fame is on display till August 4 at Phoenix MarketCity, Viman Nagar, Pune
