Family Karma fans were curious about the decadent statues lining cast member Shaan Patel’s home. Cameras showed the Patel compound, which is a series of homes on one property with the statues on display in the grand home.
Patel gave Showbiz Cheat Sheet a little insight into the history of his family in South Florida. “My grandfather came to Miami in the 1970s, bringing his large family and deep sense of community,” he said. “By partnering with other Indian families he found through working in the Miami free zone, he was able to start an annual Diwali party that blossomed into the many parties and associations that define the Indian community in Miami today.”
He also shared how the fascinating statues, which are replicas of the family were created. “My grandfather has always been eccentric and proud,” Patel says. “One year when I was little, he was in Jaipur and commissioned a set of life-sized marble statues of all of us using our photos from a statue maker there. They usually make statues of Indian gods, but they apparently were able to do it all. The statues came to Miami by crate, and have been in my house ever since.”
He gave Instagram followers a tour
Patel told Twitter followers that he planned to make an Instagram video that explained the statues in his home. His family posed next to each of their likenesses, including Patel. His statue was created when he was a little boy.
Patel’s mother, Kalpna reveals that each statue is about 1,200 pounds. “It took about six people to bring them into the house,” she says. “Each one! And we have five lifesized statues. And one little one of Shaan!”
“When I was two years old, my grandfather is very eccentric, and he was very proud when he came to this country and very proud of all he did,” Patel explained. “And to show that pride he decided to make life-sized marble statues of all the members of this family.”
Patel’s grandfather was inspired by a wax museum
Patel’s mother shares that the statue inspiration came from a visit to a wax museum. “He thought, ‘Let me make real solid, marble statues.’ That they would be better than the wax ones,” she said. “So that’s why he made them.”
Patel thinks he was “way cuter” than his replica statue. “I actually won a beauty contest as a child and this would not win that same contest.” Patel asks his mother if she thinks her statue resembles her. “I think my goal in my life is not to look like this statue!” she exclaimed. “And I’m seven months pregnant here too, by the way.”
Does Patel’s father, Dipak, want to look like his statue too? He humorously points out that he used to rock a unibrow, as evidenced by his statue. “I did have a mustache, which I don’t anymore,” he says. “And I did have this hairdo.” Fans had plenty of comments on the video. One person wondered if Patel would eventually get an updated version of his statue. “Thanks for the explanation. So are you planning to make an updated Shann statue. Those statue of your parents looks more like their ancestors. Your parents look nothing like those status,” the viewer wrote.
Family Karma airs Sunday night at 9 p.m. / 8 p.m. Central on Bravo.
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