Celebrity hairstylist Darshan Yewalekar is known for iconic looks in films like Padmaavat, Bajirao Mastani, and Laal Kaptaan, and has been the go-to stylist for stars such as Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, and Saif Ali Khan. His latest muse is Ibrahim Ali Khan, and Yewalekar, the founder of D Barbershop in Mumbai, talks about crafting Khan’s look in the recently released film Sarzameen. He also talks about the latest trends and playing the stylist for Yash-starrer Toxic.
Ibrahim Ali Khan is your latest muse. How did you conceptualise his look for Sarzameen, and what aspects of his personality or character influenced your styling choices?
Ibrahim is such a good-looking boy that the camera just loves him. So, the challenge really was to make him look like the character and not just a hero whose good looks overshadow the story’s arc. He had to fit into the film’s narrative and become a part of its emotional fabric. His appearance has to reflect the journey that his character goes through. His hair and beard change at different stages in the film, and we kept the character’s evolution in mind while styling Ibrahim.
Were there any challenges in crafting Ibrahim’s hairstyle to match the tone of Sarzameen?
We created different hair lengths for his character in this film and used a lot of prosthetic hair and occasionally relied on a wig or a beard. We had to take a call regarding how to blend additional hair in his natural hair to make it look longer.
You’ve styled several A-list actors over the years. How was working with a new actor like Ibrahim different from working with seasoned stars?
Cinema is so evolved right now that every actor, be it a newcomer or somebody who’s been in the business for a long time, is very hardworking. Everyone works on a project as if it’s their first one. But specifically with newcomers like Agastya Nanda and Ibrahim, the journey is very exciting because they are super enthused, and surrender to the vision of the project and the ideas I bring to the table. Their faith makes my job even more exciting, because when somebody fully believes in you and surrenders to your process, you must make sure that you give your 500 per cent to them. Regardless of the experience of a star, the challenge is to always be up to date with new-age styling techniques. I have to educate myself every year so that I can do my job better, and do complete justice to the character an actor is playing.
Ever since I started designing hair for ensemble casts in films, the job has gotten more exciting because now I am not just doing hair but designing the look for everyone. This is exactly what I am doing for the Yash starrer Toxic. The challenge is to create different looks for multiple people, and that process begins with multiple look tests. Every film takes me on a different journey, and it is a very fulfilling process.
Your signature styles often become trendsetters. How do you balance creativity with what’s practical and wearable for your celebrity clients on and off screen?
The main reason why I opened D Barbershop in 2015 was to create a space where I could serve regular clients and work with people from different walks of life. We have to offer practicality, wearability and customised style to every gentleman or lady who walks into D Barbershop. In the case of film stars, the hair design for a character is different from the styling for a red-carpet appearance, a magazine shoot or an ad. Celebrity hair design has really evolved over the years. So, the real challenge is to make sure that you deliver what is needed every single time with creativity as well as practicality. D Barbershop really helps me to be in touch with today’s trends and practise them not only with regular clients but also when I am working on films.
Hair trends evolve constantly — what are the top three hair trends you’re seeing in Bollywood right now, both on-screen and in personal grooming?
Well, long hair is back with many celebrities choosing to sport mid-length and long tresses. Also, young actors are not shying away from curls and now choose not to straighten them, unlike earlier times. They embrace their natural hair texture with ease. They are okay with trying something new with curly hair. They don’t shy away from experimentation either. Both genders are okay with playing with extensions, with colour, and it is really interesting to observe.
What’s one underrated technique or trick you wish more people knew about when it comes to professional hairstyling?
It’s very simple. Everybody needs a blow dryer, a pedal brush, and a product which can be a hair mousse or a heat protective spray, or even a conditioner, depending on your hair type. These three things are very essential in today’s day and age for both boys and girls. Another very essential tool for boys is the trimmer, and it is important to ask your barber for guidance on how to use it to trim the beard and maintain its shape.