Staff Writer – Archi
From the outside the factory of the Indian Handicrafts and Textiles Syndicate looks like just another unit in the northern Indian town of Sahibabad’s industrial complex. But this workshop has a unique distinction — its products have featured in a number of A-list Hollywood movies, as well as in documentaries for National Geographic and Discovery Channel.
It makes replicas of historical props like swords, spears, guns, bayonets, chainmail and costumes, with products spanning the period from the 10th century AD to World War II starring in films such as The Last Samurai (2003), The Kingdom of Heaven (2005) and Ridley Scott’s recent Robin Hood (2010).
“We are a 100 per cent export-based company,” says the owner, Ashok Rai, 31.
The idea of manufacturing historical replicas came to its founders 14 years ago when Ashok Rai heard that a French champagne maker required 1,000 swords to distribute as souvenirs. Only 17 at the time, Rai made a trip to Amritsar to look for sword makers who could make the copies. The experience got him thinking about exploring the little-known market for historical replicas. When a couple of web posts soliciting orders for replicas elicited some response, Rai decided to take up the business full-time.
Rai gradually began working to set up a niche unit that would make historical replicas for export, opening his first factory in 2001.
Tom Cruise – The Last Samurai. Photo courtesy fanpop.com
In May 2002, he had a surprise visit from representatives looking to place orders for props that would be used in the Tom Cruise-starrer The Last Samurai. Soon, Rai found himself catering to more Hollywood movies. A large contract for the Orlando Bloom-starrer The Kingdom of Heaven with the Crusades as the backdrop became the turning point. “It earned us decent profits and we moved to a larger office. In four years, our turnover jumped from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.6 crore.”Rai also supplied props for the Russell Crowe-starrer Robin Hood, but it hasn’t been through direct contract. Today, films are only a small market for the company. The bulk of the orders come from groups and institutions that organise historical re-enactments, a common educational activity in the West, where episodes from history like battles are re-created. With a turnover of Rs 12-15 crore, most of Rai’s revenue now comes from making metal replicas like helmets and chainmail. Historical costumes are a small part of this enterprise.
Manufacturing replicas involves minute attention to detail. To ensure historical authenticity, Rai employs two researchers in Germany — a scholar with a doctorate in archaeology and a professor of history at the University of Augsburg. The process of making a replica typically begins with detailed photographs of the original being sent to India. A prototype is then rolled out which goes back to the researchers, and mass production begins only after it is given the go-ahead by the experts.
India, a country crazy about movies, is thus now making useful contributions to the world and Hollywod movies as well.
