Walls are the new attraction in Hyderabad

Hyderabad has seen a rise in the trend of customised wall murals at homes. Shaped with personal stories, these murals create a distinctive look to the space.

Love, matinee idols and nostalgia shape a wall at Balamreddy Sandeep Reddy’s house in Hyderabad. The ‘memory wall’ has two murals narrating two diverse stories. While the first one (16x7 feet) features elements of cinema such as doodles of filming equipment, bust portraits of Kamal Haasan, Johnny Depp, Mammootty, Rajinikanth and Prabhas, the second mural (10x20 feet) depicts a king and his minister playing paachikalu (dice) as a tribute to his father B Srinivas Reddy, who loves playing the game of dice. “I wanted the mural in my bar room, to showcase my love for cinema and serve as a conversation starter,” he says.

Welcome to the world of customised murals elevating homes in Hyderabad. Something is charming about murals, says architect-artist Akula Shiva Kumar. The heavily-painted frescoes that adorned palaces, churches, and cathedrals with Renaissance themes, have transitioned into contemporary homes, albeit in a different form.

While paintings, photographs and wallpapers can also transform the look and feel of a space, a mural defines ‘you’ and represents your style, personality, journey, interests or anything dear to your heart.

Independent artist Varshita Lakshmi’s mural art for homes and cafes comes with a copyright. Painting at least three walls a month (earlier it was one mural every four months), her five-year art journey has seen enquiries double in 2024.

Unlike a framed canvas or photograph which could be moved around the house, a mural is permanent and makes the imagery an integral part of the wall. “Art revitalises any ambience but a mural is unique; it feels exclusive as if the space has a personal message for you,” says Varshita, whose team also includes two women artists.

The democratisation of art and its appreciation now has made it accessible to everyone, not just connoisseurs or enthusiasts, and also made it an integral part of our lifestyle. Among the many reasons for this renewed interest is a young demographic with disposable incomes willing to invest in aesthetic home decor.

Engineer-turned-artist Sai Sandeep Gundu of Artvikta Studio notes the COVID-19 pandemic also brought us closer to the arts. Sandeep creates handmade paintings, murals, mixed media works, and abstract pieces, receiving around 30 enquiries a month. “Before the lockdown, people were more interested in materialistic things, flaunting Italian marble, veneer-finished doors or laminates to friends and family. Now they ensure that art becomes a significant part of their decor.”