Madame Tussauds to house legendary Moin Akhtar's statue: report

The famed Madame Tussauds wax museum wants to include a statue of deceased Pakistani actor Moin Akhar as part of its collection. This is the first time a Pakistani actor’s statue will be displayed at the museum.

According to local news reports, considering Akhtar’s extensive contribution to performing arts in Pakistan, the museum has contacted his family and communicated their interest to include his statue at the museum.

Akhtar devoted 44 years of his life to entertaining audiences and promoting arts in Pakistan.

The renowned museum houses wax statues of historical and royal figures, politicians, film and TV celebrities, sports stars and even famous murderers.

Akhtar, one of the most beloved comics and actors ever to grace the stage and television screens of Pakistan, passed away at the age of 60 on April 22 this year.

He was a recipient of the Sitara-e-Imtiaz and Pride of Performance and also hosted shows involving major dignitaries and performed on stage alongside the likes of Indian legends Dilip Kumar, Lata Mangeshker and Madhuri Dixit to name a few. Source

Tussauds dolls ready to thrill Japanese fans

TOKYO: British-made life-size wax dolls of famous figures ranging from Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie to manga cartoon hero Astro Boy went on display in Tokyo Wednesday.

“Madame Tussauds Tokyo”, which opens to the public on Friday, will enable fans to strike poses with their heartthrobs and global icons, organisers said in a press preview.

The exhibit will have a total of 19 dolls, including Pitt and Jolie in evening gowns, American pop sensation Lady Gaga in a see-through body suit and Johnny Depp in his trademark hat.

The Madame Tussauds museum in London opened 1835. It has since expanded to other countries, drawing 550 million people worldwide.

The Japanese exhibition, in Tokyo’s bayside area, runs until January 4, 2012. Soure

Madame Tussauds launch Bollywood exhibition in Blackpool

Madame Tussauds is launching a brand new exhibition featuring Bollywood superstars in Blackpool.

The event will also see the unveiling of Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor's waxwork.

Kapoor said: "It is an honour and a privilege for me to have my wax figure at Madame Tussauds Blackpool and even more so to launch a global Bollywood exhibition. This is a moment of pride for Indian cinema."

Kareena Kapoor is the sixth Bollywood star to be recreated in wax and her statue will join the figures of Amitabh Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan at the attraction.

The touring Bollywood exhibition is designed to allow fans across the globe the chance to see the wax figures and meet their favourite celebrities. The Bollywood figures will travel from Blackpool to other Madame Tussauds attractions throughout the world including London, Hong Kong, Bangkok and sites in Europe and the US.

Matthew Titherington, General Manager at Madame Tussauds Blackpool, said: "We know that the UK will be very excited to see Kareena's new wax figure. It is the first time she has been immortalised in wax and the first time these figures will be grouped together.

"It is the perfect place to launch our Bollywood World tour with the dedicated Bollywood room and look forward to welcoming her fans to the attraction when the figure goes on display in October."

A special Bollywood room is being created within Madame Tussauds Blackpool especially for the exhibition and a week long series of festivities will be held to welcome the new wax figures to the town.

The Bollywood exhibition will be launched in October 2011.Source

Madame Tussauds to open in Sydney

Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman are expected to be among the first Australian stars to feature when waxworks museum Madame Tussauds opens a venue in Sydney next year, the company said Thursday.

The world-famous London attraction will begin welcoming visitors in the Darling Harbour tourist district of the city next May.

"The latest attraction will reflect the franchise's 200 years of expertise and research, with each figure crafted with both a high level of artistry and accuracy," the company said.

"Most contemporary figures are also produced following sittings with the celebrities themselves, and talks are already well advanced with a number of Australian icons."

The first Australian to be waxed will be "Home and Away" soap opera actor Ray Meagher, who has played Alf Stewart in the popular series since 1988. Politicians and sports stars are also expected to feature.

There are already branches of the museum in cities across the globe, including Hong Kong, Las Vegas, New York, Amsterdam and Bangkok. (AFP)

Kareena Kapoor waxwork unveiled on Khan's birthday?

Kareena Kapoor's waxwork statue will reportedly be revealed at Madame Tussauds on her boyfriend Saif Ali Khan's birthday, according to a new report.

The London tourist attraction officially quashed the rumours last month, saying that they would be concentrating their attentions on a statue of Hrithik Roshan.

Fellow Bollywood stars including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Salman Khan are already featured in the gallery.

However, the speculation over the statue has started again with an insider telling The Times of India that the actress has been travelling to London to "check the statue".

The source said: "By sheer default, her waxwork may be made public on the Indian Independence day weekend (August 15-16) that also coincides with Saif's 41st birthday (August 16)."

Kapoor had her famously size zero measurements taken by Tussauds staff four months ago, but has kept any other details of the statue secret, according to the paper.

The source added that the actress is planning to spend the weekend of the unveiling with Khan, her parents and sister Karisma in London.

Madame Tussauds denies Kareena Kapoor rumour

A wax model of Kareena Kapoor is not scheduled to feature at Madame Tussauds, an official has confirmed.

A spokesperson from the London attraction told DS that current media reports regarding Kapoor's inclusion are false.

"Madame Tussauds London can confirm that a figure of Kareena Kapoor will not be launched at the attraction this year," the spokesperson revealed. "In January of this year, a figure of Hrithik Roshan was launched, so we are very much concentrating all our efforts on this activity for 2011."

The company stated that it has already decided which figures will be included in its museums up until the end of 2012.

"Madame Tussauds now operates 12 global attractions and are delighted that Bollywood fans are able to visit their idols in other locations," the official continued. "We are sure an announcement regarding the next Bollywood star to have the honour of being immortalised at Madame Tussauds will follow shortly when it is appropriate to do so."

Actors Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan and Salman Khan are all featured at the London venue. Credit: Digital Spy

Kareena Kapoor 'to have Madame Tussauds model'

Kareena Kapoor is said to be the next Hindi film star to get a wax replica displayed at Madame Tussauds.
Kapoor will be the newest Bollywood star at the London attraction, following Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan.

A source for The Times of India said: "[Kapoor's] thrilled, but doesn't want to confirm before going through all the formalities.

"After meeting the Tussauds management she will then sit with the creative team and decide the look for the figure. There will be measurements taken and then the process begins."

The actress, who is presently undertaking filming commitments in south India, is expected to travel to the UK shortly to sit for the model-making process.

"She's in Pondicherry shooting with Aamir [Khan] for Reema Katgi's film and her schedule is pretty packed. However, she plans to take time out and head to the UK," added the insider.

Hrithik Roshan's recently-unveiled waxwork model was launched by the actor in January.

Susan Boyle wax statue revealed at Madame Tussauds

LONDON: 50 year-old singer, Susan Boyle, who received international attention through the show 'Britain's Got Talent', immortalized in Madame Tussauds wax sculpture collection of the British.

Wax statue was unveiled at the seaside resort of Blackpool, northwest England. Susan Boyle wax spend a budget of £ 150,000.

Susan Boyle twins appeared wearing a black dress which is owned by Susan Boyle.

The singer is also immortalized in Madame Tussauds wax sculpture, among others, Justin Bieber, Lady GaGa and Taylor Swift.

Bachchan's wax figure at Madame Tussauds in Hong Kong

Amitabh Bachchan is the first Bollywood actor to get a wax figure at the world famous Madame Tussauds museum in Hong Kong. His statue features in the Hall of Fame section and was unveiled by award-winning actor Moses Chan.

With a successful career spanning 40 years, Amitabh has four National Film Awards to his credit. The 68-year-old's wax avatar sports a black sherwani with red buttons, teamed with a white pyjama.

"There are more and more Indian visitors taking the star-studded journey through Madame Tussauds Hong Kong. We are sure that the new Amitabh Bachchan wax figure experience will appeal to our Indian visitors, who will get to meet their legendary star here, as well as other local and international visitors," Kelly Mak, general manager, Madame Tussauds Hong Kong, said in a press statement.

The wax figure was unveiled amid a group of Bollywood dancers, who struck an Indian pose along with Chan and Mak later.

The statue will be displayed against an Indian style facade, highlighted with light bulbs. The guests will be able to enjoy a theatre-style lighting show inspired by Amitabh's movie "Aladin".

So far no other Bollywood actor has a wax figure in the Hong Kong museum.

Amitabh also has a wax statue each in Madame Tussauds' London and New York museum, respectively.

Bieber unveils his Madame Tussauds waxwork

Teen sensation Justin Bieber has unveiled his waxwork model at Madame Tussauds in London.

The 17-year-old singer looked delighted with his waxwork, despite the fact the model only bears a slight resemblance to the teen idol.

"It's pretty incredible to see. I'm taller but this was a point in time. It looks awesome, thanks very much," the Daily Mail quoted him as saying.

The pop star asked his mother to come up on stage, saying to her: "It [the sculpture] doesn''t have any facial hair."

He then gave the wax work a hug, but refused to kiss it in front of photographers.

He later added: "I''m just taking him home with me!"

Bieber worked closely with the team who created his waxwork, giving sittings in New York last year.

And stylists teamed up with the singer's personal hair stylist to ensure his once legendary hairstyle was the exact replica of the original cut.

The unveiling was broadcast live for the first time in the museum''s history on a special website revealed by Bieber on the Twitter website earlier in the day.

Replicas of the teenager were simultaneously unveiled at Tussauds attractions in Amsterdam and New York.

The London and Amsterdam models are identical but the New York wax work wears an outfit donated by the star.

Hrithik to unveil his statue at Madame Tussauds Friday

Hrithik Roshan, who turned 37 Monday, will become the fifth Bollywood celebrity to have his wax figure at the prestigious Madame Tussauds when he unveils it Friday.

"I never thought in my wildest of dreams that there will be a time in my life when I'll be unveiling my own statue at the Madame Tussauds. I remember once I've stood there in the line for three hours when I was a 12-year-old to see the museum," Hrithik told reporters here.

Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Bachchan, Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan have already secured their place in the London museum.

"It's just going to be symbolic of my journey. It's going to be something that will motivate me when I'm tired. I'll think of this statue and it will make be keep going and giving my best. It makes me feel great and will help me fight my exhaustion," he added.

Hrithik made his debut in 2000 with the leading role in "Kaho Naa...Pyaar Hai" and became an overnight sensation. Later he gave hits like "Dhoom 2", "Koi... Mil Gaya" and "Krrish".