Love is... getting inked together

KANAK HIRANI NAUTIYAL / TNN / Jul 18, 2006, 20:22 IST

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While Bollywood stars are showing off their newly-acquired tattoos in Mumbai's social circles, folks here are bonding over ink.

While Bollywood stars are showing off their newly-acquired tattoos in Mumbai's social circles, folks here are bonding over ink.
Mark these words
At the music launch of Zayed Khan's forthcoming film Rocky, actress Esha Deol caught everyone's attention with her funky tattoos - spiritual words on her right shoulder and a shaded Om on her left. The Deol gal said it wasn't planned.
"I'd been thinking of getting a tattoo for a long time but it just never happened till now."

So Esha joins the bandwagon of tattoo-sporting stars like Sanjay Dutt, Urmila Matondkar and Kannada actress Rakshitha.
But if you're wondering how Esha's going to wear her trendy halter blouses and still play bahu onscreen, don't fret: these actors aren't worried about showing off their tattoos in films. According to Rakshitha, most of the characters stars now play are lively and modern.
"Sometimes, when the role demands it, I may pin up my saree to cover that part or wear longsleeved blouses,"says Rakshitha, who has a star on her chest and a flower on her left arm. "You can always cover a tattoo,"she adds.

Do it together
Rakshitha got her tattoo done with her best friend in Goa. "We were on holiday and it was a spur of the moment thing. We both have similar tattoos on the same place (left arm) and because I got it done with my buddy, it's special."
That's quite a trend now, according to tattoo professional Pradeep Menon, with folks coming in groups and getting tattoos done.
"People also pool in and gift tattoos for birthdays,"says Pradeep. He adds that daughters are now gifting their mothers tattoos, with moms daring to get inked. "We also had the captain of a ship come in with his son and they both gifted each other tattoos."
Age no bar
You don't have to be young and hip to get one done. According to 41-year-old housewife Sanjana Shetty, she and her daughter together decided that they wanted to a tattoo.
"I didn't tell my husband about it. So when my daughter and I went on holiday to Bangkok, we walked into the tattoo parlour together and got it done."While she chose a tiny tulip, her daughter has a unicorn on her lower back.
"It was a great way for us to bond; we still talk about it,"she adds. According to restaurateur Viraj Suvarna, he got a tattoo 20 years ago in Goa, "and given a choice, I'd get one again. I don't think there should be any age barrier to get a tattoo."
Size matters
While a tulip works for some, for others the bigger the better. Esha Deol's tattoo covers a huge area on her upper back, and in Bangalore, hair professional Kevin Billings says he has as many as 14 tattoos on his body.
"I'm planning to get more done. Nowadays, tattoos are like colouring your hair; even bank managers and techies are getting one,"says Kevin.
Price factor
Pradeep says a tattoo can take anywhere between half an hour to several hours and can cost between Rs 1,750 to several lakh, depending on the size and work involved. Kevin says although tattooing is an expensive hobby, it's also addictive.
"It's like investing in art which is on your own body and completely original. I've spent upto a lakh on only some of my tattoos,"he says.

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