Silicon Replicas of the Dead Offer Solace in India's Grieving Hearts
In the northern part of Kolkata, near Dum Dum Junction, Subimal Das operates a unique workshop from an old factory-warehouse. With a staff of 80, he and his team use clay, fibreglass, and silicon to create extraordinary lifesize replicas. While their work includes religious icons, cultural figures, cricketers, and Bollywood stars, a poignant new line has gained popularity: custom-made 30kg replicas of the dead, commissioned by family members and loved ones.
A Touching Form of Remembrance
Widows and widowers are the most frequent customers at Subi Creative House. They order replicas of their deceased spouses by providing photographs to Das and his team. After several months of meticulous work, they take the finished figure home. Among the current projects in the workshop is Mr S Roy of Ranaghat, a city in West Bengal famous for its flowers. He sits dressed in a checked shirt and slacks, ready for dispatch. Nearby, Mrs Parija from Odisha has her head completed with short, silvery-grey hair and a red bindi, awaiting her body to be fitted.
Each figure costs approximately 2.5 lakh rupees, equivalent to $2,760. In 2025, customer Samit Kumar had replicas made of his parents, Arun and Hena, and drove them in an open-top vintage car through a festival in Kolkata, showcasing the personal significance of these creations.
Hyper-Realistic Craftsmanship
Das emphasises that his creations are "hyper-realistic", using real human hair to achieve a lifelike appearance. He explains that customers seek to hold onto their loved ones in a tangible way, often dressing the figures in favourite outfits or saris and placing them in familiar spots within their homes. "To the family, they are human – almost human," Das says. "I tell them I can be as close as possible." The emotional impact is profound, with families often moved to tears upon seeing the detailed jewellery, clothing, and perfect eyes of their replicated loved ones.
Roots in Art and Pandemic Demand
Das studied art in Kolkata after growing up in regional West Bengal. He initially painted Kolkata trams before they were largely decommissioned and worked in a museum making models. He founded his workshop in 2013, focusing on figures for festivals and events. However, when the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged India, requests for replicas of the dead surged dramatically, highlighting a deep need for coping mechanisms during widespread loss.
Cultural Context and Beliefs
From a western perspective, these replicas might seem unnerving or macabre, but Hindus generally share a complex understanding of death, the afterlife, and memorialisation. Within Hinduism, beliefs vary widely, but death is often viewed not as an end but as a period before life reoccurs. This makes Das's workshop less like a strange wax museum and more a touching version of what Hindi calls 'smaran', or remembrance. For instance, Tapas Sandilya, 67, lost his wife Indrani to Covid in 2021. Fulfilling her wish from a decade earlier, he commissioned a replica, which now provides him with a sense of calm and "continued togetherness".
Workshop Dynamics and Diverse Creations
Das's busy workshop is a dark, noisy space where two young workers use their feet to shape clay in a corner. A huge caveman figure for a museum display on prehistoric life towers over cluttered replicas and moulds of famous Indians, holy men, and spirit animals. Outside, discarded fibreglass pieces of cows, horses, and goats fill a tip, while a storeroom houses figures like 1960s Bollywood star Suchitra Sen and Hindu saint Acharya Srimat Swami Pranavananda Maharaj.
The workshop has produced 50 lifesize replicas of Narendra Modi and many of cricket legend Virat Kohli. Other notable figures include Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Mother Teresa, and even footballers Pelé and Lionel Messi, immortalised in silicon. Das notes that the list is long and limited only by imagination, reflecting the diverse demands of his clientele.
Ultimately, these silicon replicas serve as a powerful tool for grief management, helping individuals navigate loss through a physical embodiment of memory. In a culture where remembrance is deeply valued, Das's creations offer a unique form of solace, blending artistry with emotional healing in the heart of India.
