A Meeting of Sheela and Sheela

Businesswoman Sheela Kochuouseph and actor Sheela will be holding a joint painting exhibition at the Le Meridien, Kochi

Photo: Sheela Kochuouseph (left) with actor Sheela. By Ratheesh Sundaram

By Shevlin Sebastian

It was Asif Ali Komu, of the Aluva-based Komusons Art Gallery, who got the idea to hold a joint exhibition of two women achievers: businesswoman Sheela Kochuouseph and actor Sheela.

“I came to know that both were painters in their spare time, so I felt that I should hold an exhibition featuring the two,” he says. “In fact when I told some people about it, they were skeptical and said, ‘Can they paint?’ This exhibition is to show that they are talented artistes.”

Asif was speaking at the press meet to announce the exhibition which will begin on December 23. A host of prominent personalities, from all sections of society, including Mollywood, are expected to participate.

And the duo got together recently when they met at the Kochi home of Sheela Kochuouseph. While there, the actor asked the spelling of the businesswoman's name. “It is the same as yours,” said Sheela Kochuouseph.

Then the actor asked the full name. “Sheela Grace is my name,” said Sheela Kochuouseph. 

The astonished actor said, “That is also my name. My mother was called Grace.”

A total of 100 paintings will be on display: 60 of actor Sheela and 40 of Sheela Kochuouseph. There is a mix of abstract and realistic paintings. While actor Sheela paints in the early morning, at her home in Chennai, Sheela Kochuouseph paints in the afternoon, when she comes home from office during the lunch hour. “Instead of going to sleep, I prefer to paint for one or two hours,” she says. “I feel fresh after doing this.”

As Sheela Kocuouseph is speaking, an art lover comes up and says, “I would like to buy this painting.”

The particular oil painting is called ‘Combustion’. Painted in a deep shade of red, it shows dried leaves, suffering men and women and a blazing sun above them. “In the future, there will be no trees, only sunlight,” says Sheela Kochuouseph. “All the people are sad. They want to be cool, but they cannot be. The theme is about global warming.”

Both the women say that they will use the money for charity works. However, Sheela Kochuouseph has a specific plan: “I want to use it to clean up the garbage alongside Marine Drive. I will be asking permission from the Mayor [Saumini Jain] to do it.” 

(The New Indian Express, Kerala State Editions)