Bollywood superstar and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai on Wednesday became the first Indian celebrity to have her wax model displayed at Madame Tussaunds Museum in the historic Time Square.

Within minutes of unveiling of her life-like model dressed in intricately patterned red sari, her fans in New York began flocking the museum to admire the wax-work.

The unveiling of the model, borrowed by the New York Madame Tussaunds from its parent museum in London, coincided with India’s 60th Independence Day celebration and will be on display for six weeks before being sent back. But several of her fans, who had gathered at the museum, said the six weeks was too short for all fans from New York and neighbouring states to see their favourite star in wax.

In the museum, Rai is in the company of several other celebrities including Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.
Besides Rai, the only Indian film personalities immortalised at Madame Tussauds in London are her father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan, superstar Shah Rukh Khan and Tamil superstar Rajnikanth.

Other Indian attractions at the museum are Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.
But Rai became the first Indian celebrity to be displayed in New York.