Sanjay Dutt getting two new tattoos

Mumbai, (IANS) After having had a lion tattoo on his forearm for some time, Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt is getting two new tattoos - another lion on his chest and the word "honour" in Japanese on his arm.

"The actor wanted another lion tattoo, but since he already has one, this one had to be different. We sat together and finally settled for one big lion design ... it's going to be a coloured one," tattoo artist Vishwas Dorwekar of Hakim Aalim's saloon revealed.

"Apart from this, the actor is also getting the word "honour" in Japanese on his arm. This one will be short and simple," Dorwekar told IANS here.

The artist will also be improvising Dutt's forearm lion tattoo, as the actor is not happy with the way the tattoo had turned out.

"He wants some basic changes in his first tattoo and I'm working on it," he said.

Not many know that Dorwekar is the man behind Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan's 'Kareena' tattoo that attracted much media attention.

"Saif knew what he wanted and how exactly he wanted it to be done. Tattoo drawing didn't take much time, as he was very clear in his thoughts," he said.

Dorwekar has been in this business for the past 25 years and believes that tattoos were always there but Bollywood stars have made them popular.

"My family has been in this profession for ages, but initially it was only religious tattoos that were popular. Hindus and Catholics used to get religious tattoos on various parts of their body," he said.

"Now, Bollywood has made tattoos very popular and people are imitating their favourite actors," he added.

Describing tattoo making as a "tickling art", the artist said: "The process is best described as a tickling art because when the machine touches your body, it gives a ticklish feeling."

"Creativity plays a major role in tattoo making...just by having good machines and a swish saloon doesn't mean that everyone knows the art.

"It is an art that lies in the hands and not machines," he quipped.

Tattoo parlours have mushroomed across the country in recent years, but Dorwekar said that most of them lacked creative skills and were interested only in the money.

"People believe that just by googling intricate designs from the Internet, one can become a good artist. That is a misconception.

"It is like any other creative skill that requires thinking and processing. Only a good artist can come up with his own creative designs," he added.

How long does it take to make a tattoo?

"It all depends on the design. A simple tattoo can be done in an hour whereas an intricate design can take hours or sometimes days," he said.

What are the popular designs this season?

"After Saif wrote Kareena's name on his forearm, getting the name of your spouse, children and lovers is a big hit this season," he said.

Getting a tattoo involves dual pain - the physical pain and a hole in your pocket, as a simple tattoo can cost you around Rs.4,000 and the price goes up according to different designs and sizes.