Lokesh Verma, the founder of Devil’z Tattooz, shares his journey to becoming one of the most sought-after tattoo artists. He provides interesting details about some tattoos of celebrities’ and offers valuable advice for those planning to get inked!
Tattoo artist Lokesh Verma.
Back in 2003, tattoo artist Lokesh Verma decided to enter the world of body art, and he hasn’t looked back since. Over the past two decades, he has earned recognition as one of the world’s top tattoo artists, featured on Google’s list, and is the founder of Devil’z Tattooz in India and Europe.
“After finishing school, I was doing odd jobs and exploring various art subcultures like graffiti, sketching, and DJing. It was at one of these parties that I first saw someone’s tattoo and was mesmerised by it. I was determined to learn everything about tattooing, so I used my savings to buy a tattoo machine from someone returning from overseas. Initially, I had no plans to turn professional; I just wanted to experiment and learn on my own. However, my interest quickly grew, and I became entirely self-taught. At that time, there were no YouTube tutorials or Google to help with tips and tricks,” says Verma.
When asked about his first tattooing experience and whether he felt nervous, Verma recalls his father being the first one to get a tattoo from him. “He has always supported my decisions. It was a small tribal design, followed later by a dark wizard on his arm. This was over 20 years ago when synthetic practice skins were not available. I also practised by tattooing my left arm.”
Verma has been a part of the inking journeys of many celebrities.
He recalls, “I tattooed Taapsee Pannu back in 2006 when she was in college, discovering her passion for dance and acting. Despite being barely 20 years old, she was remarkably focused on her aspirations. The tattoo—a line drawing of a dancing figure—symbolised the importance of dance in her life.”
Talking about his second celebrity client, choreographer and film director Remo D’Souza, Verma shares, “I believe it was in 2008 when Remo chose to get a Jesus portrait reflecting his faith, alongside a Michael Jackson portrait honouring the artist’s influence and dedication.”
Verma also talks about cricketers Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav, who opted for Shiva and Buddha tattoos respectively, reflecting their spiritual beliefs. “Stand-up comedian Jeeveshu, in his early career, chose a microphone tattoo to symbolise his respect and dedication to his craft,” Verma adds.
For actor Esha Gupta, Verma inked a pair of wings accompanied by a Latin quote “She flies with her own wings,” representing freedom and self-reliance. Cricketer Shikhar Dhawan opted for an abstract design, while actor Swara Bhaskar chose a Tribal Sun symbol and a few more. Verma reveals, “Last year, Richa Chadha flew to Delhi specifically to get a tattoo of her fiance’s name before their wedding.”
Talking about the tattoo regrets of celebrities, Verma says, “Umesh Yadav had a tattoo on his bicep from a studio in India during his younger days, but he wasn’t satisfied with the quality. He regretted it and approached us to cover it up with a lion tattoo.”
So what are the three things that people should know before they decide to get inked? Verma says, “Choosing a skilled artist and conducting thorough research before getting a tattoo is crucial, as social media depictions can be deceiving. Secondly, it’s important to have a clear idea of what you want to represent with your tattoo to avoid choosing a design you may later grow tired of. Meaningful tattoos tend to remain significant over time. Lastly, don’t ask people and your family WhatsApp groups for approval on what you want! A hundred people will give you different suggestions, and the meaning of your tattoo will completely change if you listen to everyone. You really know deep down what you want, so listen only to yourself and go for it!”
What is the biggest regret that people have after getting inked? “Often, the names of ex-boyfriends or ex-girlfriends are the only tattoos that people regret and try to cover up. Additionally, if individuals do not thoroughly research their tattoo artist and get a tattoo that falls short of their expectations, it can be a major disappointment for the client. And, then they end up spending extra on getting that tattoo modified or covered up,” he says.
