Thusyanthe Srisachiananthadasan has always loved everything to do with art. At the age of 16 she enrolled into Croydon College, a well-known art school in London, and there was no looking back. Currently, she goes by the name Schaya_artist on Instagram and has over 19,000 followers — no mean feat. Some of the sketches that catch one’s eye are her latest project involving Tamil Disney princes and princesses.
The Germany-based artist tells us, “The main reason I thought of this was because Disney princesses are of different nationalities. Jasmine is Arabic, Rapunzel is German, Ariel is Danish but there was no Disney couple from India. I wanted to create a princess and prince capturing my Tamil culture. That’s how Princess Renuka and Prince Ajay came about.” The response to these sketches were tremendous, “Many people shared the drawings on the Internet. Several YouTubers and celebrities like Amy Jackson shared them too! It’s so great to spread positivity,” she adds.
Thusyanthe, who counts AR Rahman and Yuvan Shankar Raja amongst her favourite musicians, also has taken inspiration from Rajinikanth in her work. Her sketch depicting him as a superhero, is a fan favourite — “I really think he is a hero, I’ve admired him since I was a kid. Even at the age of 65 he still brings out one hit after another, which shows his determination. He comes across as brave and generous, even after the fame he’s achieved.”
She goes on to tell us about her future projects. “I’ve just posted a sketch of the Taj Mahal’s reflection in an eye, because it is the best symbol of love and culture. My future projects will probably be about my culture, my expressions and emotions. I also love doing personal portraits, especially of people my age who are still struggling to make a name for themselves. I wish all the artists who’ve made it, and those that are in still in the process, the best of luck.” Move over Rapunzel, there’s a new princess in town!
