New York – Famed Bollywood actor Salman Khan on August 2 joined the collection of wax figures at Madame Tussauds in New York. Khan personally chose and donated the black top and denim jeans for his wax figure according to the museum officials.
“Salman Khan is one of Bollywood’s most enduring and recognizable stars,” said Bret Pidgeon, General Manager of Madame Tussauds in New York.
Khan joined such famed Bollywood stars as, Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan, in the attraction’s “Bollywood Zone” through October.
The brightly-colored, fully-interactive zone includes a replica of the Taj Mahal, videos of authentic Indian dancers and a photo area where visitors can pose with Bollywood stars. Over the coming years, Madame Tussauds plans to expand the area to include figures of other prominent Bollywood stars, the officials noted.
Commenting on the particular section, Pidgeon said, “Bollywood exploded on the American pop culture scene several years ago and has become one of our most exciting entertainment categories.”
The figure – on loan for 3 months from Madame Tussauds London – was launched in January, 2008, after Khan beat nine other Indian mega-stars – including Madhuri Dixit, Hrithik Roshan, Lata Mangeshkar and Abhishek Bachchan – to choose the “Next Bollywood Star” that would get a wax likeness. More than 10,000 people voted in the August, 2007, public poll.
Khan burst onto the scene with his award-performance in Maine Pyar Kiya in 1989, which won him a Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut. His latest film, Bodyguard, has become the second highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time. In 2004, People magazine named Khan the seventh best-looking man in the world. (IATNS)