Hrithik measured for wax figure at Madame Tussauds

Madame Tussauds has been a name to reckon with when it comes to preserving life like structures of famous personalities immortalized in wax. The latest addition to the museum in London following Bollywood celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Bachchan, Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan is none other than the Greek God of Bollywood Hrithik Roshan.

Hrithik was recently measured up for his new wax figure by the sculpting team in Mumbai and London. They captured a catalogue of reference photographs and hundreds of precise measurements for the figure, which will be unveiled in London in January 2011.

To ensure total authenticity, Hrithik will be closely involved in the creation process, collaborating with the team to agree the pose and even donating items of clothing for his figure to wear.

Commenting on the creation of his figure, the star of hit films including Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai, Dhoom, Krrish and Jodhaa Akbar, said: "I don't really have the words to articulate what it feels like. Being bestowed this honour is overwhelming." Hrithik, who remembers visiting Madame Tussauds as a child but never imagined he would stand alongside his heroes there, added that his inclusion "re-affirms my belief that nothing is impossible".

The figure will be created at Madame Tussauds studios in London over the next four months at a cost of £150,000. The first step is to craft a perfect clay sculpture from which the moulds are made to make an amazingly life like wax figure. Then it is over to a team of skilled hair and colour artists to insert the hair by hand and build up life like skin tones using layer upon layer of oil paint; every freckle, mole, dimple and wrinkle are accurately reproduced.