Manifest Spotlight: Celebrity Henna Artist A Srinivasan

If you loved the mehndi of celebrity brides like Alia Bhatt, Sonam Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra, you need to pay close attention to the work of A. Srinivasan. The renowned mehndi artist began his journey more than three decades ago after getting inspired by his mother’s beautifully created rangolis! Aside from this cherished memory, a certain legendary Bollywood superstar also played a role in kicking off his career as a mehndi artist.

"I was also greatly influenced and guided by SrideviJiwhen I was starting my career. She encouraged me to stick to my passion!"

Whilemehndihas always been an integral part of South Asian wedding culture, the artist credits Bollywood for changing how it was perceived by brides and wedding attendees. "In 1996, when Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge came out, it changed the Mehndi game entirely. People started paying more to get the best designs for their mehndi ceremony. Before that, the only motif and design that dominated the mehndi business was the ambi/ paisley or peacock motif. Then when Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... released, the mandala design became a big deal." Over the years, paying close attention to media and films has helped him remain ahead of the curve when it comes to mehndi trends.

In a chat withManifest, the artist talks about his designs, celebrity brides, and so much more. Take a look...

In Conversation With A. Srinivasan

Manifest: Your designs are often intricate and detailed, and seem like they’re telling a story. Is there a reason for that?

A. Srinivasan: I make it a point to communicate with my clients and ask them a few important questions before we start designing their mehndi art. We ask them how they met their partners, where they met them, and which restaurant they first met in, and that leads to us creating detailed and intricate mehndi designs such as the couple sitting in the restaurant they’re fond of. We are very deliberate about the detail we inculcate in our designs!

M: You have worked with several celebrities such as Alia Bhatt, Sonam Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra, do you have any shocking or memorable stories from the times you worked with them?

AS: Yes, actually there are two instances of this. During Parineeti Chopra and Raghav Chaddha’s wedding, a family member who is a CA by profession accompanied me to the wedding. He ended up striking a chord with Raghav Chaddha as well, because he is also a qualified chartered accountant. It was nice to see. Aside from this I also covered Esha Deol and Ahana Deol’s weddings and it was touching to see Hema ji interact with her daughters and watch the mother-daughter duo bond!

M: What mehndi trends do you predict to see this upcoming wedding season?

S: Three-dimensional designs will be trending in terms of mehndi art.

M:  What advice would you have for brides who want an extremely unique mehndi design? Are there certain details they should let their mehndi artist know so that they can create a design?

AS: Well, first and most important is to let your mehndi artist know of a special, memorable occasion you’ve shared with your partner. Secondly, you can coordinate your mehndi design with your jewellery and clothing (in terms of embroidery etc.), we can take inspiration from the motifs within your accessories and bridal wear.

M: Can you share some quick tips and tricks to help make someone’s mehndi last longer?

AS: Ideally, you should stay away from using soap on your hands. But other than this you can toast cloves over a pan and warm up your hands over the heat, you can also apply Tiger balm to the mehndi to help it darken. We personally, use a secret oil recipe to help the henna stain well.

Manifest Cheat Sheet

M: Who do you think should come to you for their mehndi ceremony?

AS: Whoever wants to get their memories captured in their mehndi designs, should come to us.

M: How would you define your style of work?

S: Detailed, intricate and symmetrical.

M: How far in advance should clients reach out to you?

S: Three to four months ahead of time.

M: How much do you charge for your wedding packages?

S: It starts from INR 50,000.

M: What is your delivery/turn-out period?

S: Depends on the design, but on an average, five hours.