Body ink and soul

Think tattoo and the stereotype image that pops into one’s mind is that of a grunge styled biker in leather and denim with an insane number of body piercings and barely any skin left not covered in ink. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why getting a tattoo is such a taboo in India. But there’s always the exception — someone who’s willing to break boundaries and make new ones. At the age of 32, this exception has opened five outlets of his brand, Kraayonz, in four cities, established himself formidably as an expert in tattooing, been kicked out of his home once and is now considered Bollywood’s favourite tattoo artist (if his list of celebrity clientele, which include Sunil Shetty, Salman Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Hrithik Roshan, Urmila Matoldkar and so on, is anything to go by). Meet Sameer Patange.With an unassuming air and an attitude that hardly cares about much else than his passion, Patange, who is based in Mumbai, has spent 14 years in the profession trying to better himself. Having always been drawn to art, his schooldays were filled with drawings on all sorts of canvases. That led him to Dr Kohiyar, a psychologist by profession and a tattoo artist by hobby. Considered as the godfather of tattooing in India, according to Patange, Dr Kohiyar took the young artist under his wing, where Patange learnt his trade. What initially started out as hobby would soon become a turning point in the artist’s life. After working with Dr Kohiyar and having drawn his first tattoo at the age of 20, Patange was convinced art would be his life. The question then arose of choosing between taking up advertising or tattooing. Laughing about his turmoil then, Patange says, “In retrospect, it was an easy obvious choice. Working as a tattoo artist was my passion. But my father wouldn’t have it and threw me out of the house.”  Patange however, ploughed on only to become the youngest professional tattoo artist at the age of 21, for which he was entered into the Limca book of records. Talking about the experience, he says, “I guess it was a rebellious thing. At some level, it was about proving my point. Tattooing or getting a tattoo isn’t a bad thing.”After five years with Dr Kohiyar, Patange set up his very own enterprise, Kraayonz. He now runs two studios in Mumbai and one each in Pune, Goa and Bangalore. All of his studios are run by his students. Speaking of the people who come in, “There is a change in how people look at tattoos today. Now-a-days we have parents accompanying their children to the studio, which is a good thing.” As a rule, Patange doesn’t tattoo underage kids unless they are accompanied by an elder. Ask him why, considering he got his first tattoo when he was 16, he explains grinningly, “Exactly why! That was the only tattoo I ever regretted. It was impulsive and immature. I was influenced by the age and the rage for western music. Bon Jovi was a big thing then.”Given that experience and also the fact that many people choose to get a tattoo done because of the fad, Patange makes it a point to consult with his clients first. “Most people don’t really realise what getting a tattoo means. It’s something you will have for the rest of your life. So it’s important you think about it carefully before you decide.” He also explains how people walk into the studio not knowing what kind of a tattoo they want. At that point it’s important that the artist counsel the client. “I have turned down clients many times. If you don’t know what you want or what you are getting into, I can’t give you what you want.” If one has thought about getting a tattoo even a little, then the chances of regretting it later is very slim, if at all, he adds. “It’s important that the client is comfortable with the artist. One needs to have some faith.” To that extent, Patange goes that extra mile in making sure his work is absolutely hygeinic. Older practices had artists using the same needle after sterilising it, but now every job uses a new needle which Patange makes in front of his clients. “The needle is actually a couple of needles soldered together which hold the ink, which is IMA (Indian Medical Association) approved organic ink.”So how painful is a tattoo? “Not very,” confirms Patange. “As the tattoo is drawn, you get used to the pain.” Sameer Patange is in the city in association with Aura, the salon at the Park Hyderabad. The tattoo fest will go on till July 17. So does his trip to Hyderabad mean a potential Kraayonz studio here? “Maybe. I have been looking for space. But it partly depends on the response I get during the fest.”