Our fixation with ink is not new. While earlier tattoos were largely associated with pirates, bikers and rockers, recently tattoos became popular with people from all age groups and all walks of life, after the Bollywood biggies displayed their inky designs on their toned bodies and made the trend popular. From Ajay Devgn, Sanjay Dutt, John Abraham to Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor and Deepika Padukone, almost everybody is flaunting the mighty tattoo onscreen as well as offscreen.
The most recent to grab the eyeballs is Sanjay Dutt’s elaborate tattoo in his upcoming film Agneepath after Ajay Devgn’s detailed display of Lord Shiva’s king-size tattoo in Singham. The fans are in awe of these bold motifs and shapes. While some are going overboard with their love for their favourite stars and getting the exact replicas of these tattoos etched on their bodies, others are playing it safe and sticking to simple and safer options.
Lokesh of the famous Devilz Tattooz says, “India is a land of followers. Youngsters follow what they see and find exciting. Bold tattoos are catching up fast with style-conscious youth wanting to emulate what their favourite stars do.”
Tattoo artist Abhishaik Madhur of Indelible Tattoos, who gets 15-20 such requests per month, says that the more serious and experienced type go for meaningful tattoos. “People have mixed reasons for getting bold tattoos which go beyond the fashion statement. “For most, the tattoos are just a fashion, but there are others who feel that such a tattoo has more to do with spirituality. They also think that these symbolic tattoos add good luck and prosperity to their lives,” says Abhishaik.
That is why HR consultant Shivesh Jain got an Aum tattoo carved on his chest. “I am a big fan of Ajay Devgn. I loved his tattoo in Singham. Though I wanted to get the same tattoo done, but it’s sheer size and density was too much for me to handle. So I went for an Aum instead, which is sacred and cool,” he says.
Also youngsters these days don’t blindly copy what they see on television. They research and understand the true meaning of a particular verse or an image before sealing the deal. “Religious images, verses in Greek, Gayatri mantra and Aum are the most popular at the moment, but some also ask for verses from the Bhagavad Gita. As the verses are complex and a single verse depicts several meanings, we have to be absolutely sure before etching one,” say Amit and Aman of Deathcore Parlour in Satya Niketan.