- Hardik Pandya got a tattoo of two leopards and an M as a gift for Mahieka Sharma
- The design symbolises their personalities and fascination with leopards
- Tattoo took about three hours and was created by a team led by Sunny Bhanushali
Hardik Pandya recently got inked - two leopards and an 'M'. It was his Valentine's Day present for his girlfriend, Mahieka Sharma. At 2 am, the couple walked into the studio, and the cricketer emerged with an elaborate design on his nape.
But do you know what goes into creating such an intricate design, and how much it costs? Speaking to NDTV, Sunny Bhanushali, Founder of Aliens Tattoo, revealed why the cricketer chose to get two leopards and an 'M' inked.
Story Behind Hardik Pandya's Tattoo
"His brief was simple. He wanted to gift the tattoo to Mahieka," the tattoo artist shared. The cricketer's initial idea was to get just an 'M' inked. But Sunny decided to make it more special and meaningful. The design was created by Sunny Bhanushali, Devendra Palav, Siddhesh Gawde, and Tushar Maran.
Sunny said that he and his team started digging deeper. They first tried to understand the meaning of Mahieka, which means 'daughter of Earth'. "We designed a lot of variations around that theme, but it didn't work. Woh maza nahi aaya [It wasn't that good]."
"While this was happening, we were observing their chemistry - kaise baat karte hain, kaise sochte hain [How they talk, what they think]. They are very success‑oriented people. They talk about goals and the future. They want to build something," Sunny revealed.
Sharing further details about the design, the artist mentioned, "Unke ghar par cats ke alag‑alag artefacts hain [They have different kinds of cat artefacts in the house]... During the conversation, we came to know that both are fascinated by leopards."
Hence, the design was finalised. "That's when we decided to have a male and female leopard. The female would represent subtle, flowy energy - just an outline. The male would be a realistic, semi‑realistic leopard, representing Hardik. There is speed and space, just how they see life. The 'M' pops out on his neck from the T‑shirt."
"That's how their story got translated into a design," Sunny shared.
Hardik Pandya's Tattoo Artist Reveals What Tattoos Like His Cost
In the official post by Aliens Tattoo, they mentioned that Hardik Pandya walked into the studio at 2 am, and it took the team a couple of hours to finish the design. "I think three hours from there. We finished at 5-5:30 am," Sunny shared.
The self-taught artist, who bought his first tattoo kit in 2007 and began learning the craft by tattooing his own leg, explained that the cost of a tattoo depends on multiple factors. "It starts from Rs 900 to Rs 1,200 per square inch for smaller designs. We have a base price starting at Rs 3,500," he further added. This price is exclusive of taxes.
When designs get complex, the price increases. For tattoos that require several hours, the studio charges per hour. "Charges can range from Rs 4,000 to Rs 15,000 per hour, depending on the artist and the skill set required," he added.
Then there are larger pieces that require multiple sessions, with each session lasting 6-8 hours. "Pricing starts from Rs 24,000 and goes up to Rs 5,00,000 per session. I charge Rs 5,00,000 per session."
Sunny typically works on large and elaborate designs. For example, an entire arm, from shoulder to wrist, requires 5-6 sessions and costs Rs 25-30 lakh.
One must note that charges vary based on the artist's skill level. A junior artist charges Rs 24,000 per session, whereas a pioneer like Sunny charges much more.
Sunny began his journey by tattooing colleagues in a BPO for free. He didn't imagine he could earn from his art until people began offering him money. Tattooing was initially a side hustle. The day his side gig earned him as much as his full-time job, he quit and decided to build his business.
He used to design mythological tattoos in a hyper‑realistic comic style. "People loved it, and they started coming for those drawings and wanted me to tattoo them," he shared. Soon, he opened his first shop and won national and international accolades.
"We don't call ourselves tattoo ki dukaan. We are storytellers. We call our studios cultural outposts. It is more than tattoos for us, it is about telling stories through art," Sunny told NDTV.
"Fast-forward to today, we have 18 outlets across India," he added with quiet pride. Over time, TV actors and celebrities started visiting his studio. He has worked with many well‑known names, including Virat Kohli, Kriti Sanon, Arjun Kapoor, Smriti Mandhana, and others.
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