SWASTIKA’S SUMMER MUSTS

I haven’t had long hair for a very long time now and I get fed up with wigs...

Cropping my hair is number one on my list during summer. I haven’t had long hair for a very long time and I get fed up with wigs. I keep telling my hairdresser to put it all away from my neck. Summers are prolonged in this part of the country and you can experiment with your hair. 

In Anjanda’s film (Anjan Dutt’s Aami Ashbo Phirey), you’ll see me in my natural hair, a blunt cut, which I had then. I got pretty bored with it. So, I went and got a wacky haircut… a super narrow tail at the back! I went to Bhopal to shoot for Love All with that hairstyle. I could see the shock on my co-actor Kay Kay Menon’s face. I turned around to leave and he was like: ‘Oh my god!’ (Laughs) 

Then I got a design on it for The Telegraph Food Guide Awards. A meme saying Swastika Cristiano and Ronaldo Mukherjee went viral! Everywhere I have gone since, people have just wanted to click the left side of my face! You can sport a traditional sari with this hair. With such styles, you have to go on trimming your hair and giving it a shape. 

The first time I really went crop-crop was in 2009 for 033 (directed by Birsa Dasgupta). I had really long hair before that and from that I went super short, but not so crazy… just a normal bob. Then I cut it again for the shoot of Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! because they wanted those curls and they didn’t want to use a wig. 

The really crazy one with half a shaved head was for Golpo Oder in 2014 just after I shot for Byomkesh and both my mother and my daughter cried! My mom used to talk to me with her face turned away. (Smiles) 

I love using colours on my eyes

When I do my own make-up, I just copy-paste whatever Prasenjit (Biswas, make-up artist) does, with the things at my disposal. When he is doing my make-up, I am always asking about the products he uses. I did blue eyes for one of my promotional looks for Aami Ashbo Phirey. 

I think the most important bit about summer make-up is the blush that you apply. You get that contoured look but it doesn’t feel that you have applied anything, but that glow is there and the right amount of highlight is there. We always tend to go overboard with the blush. The blob of redness on your cheek destroys everything. Keep it minimal. On a regular basis, if I have to use blush-on, I use a nude or peachy, creamy one. Just tap it on and you will have that nice glow. 

I love using colours for my eyes. I am crushing on my blue eyeshadow. You can let go of lining your lips and try natural glosses. I have just bought Rimmel London lipsticks. There is a hint of colour but more of it is shine. I am loving my Benefit mascara too. 

I love flowy, easy-to-wear clothes

I have never preferred super-fitted clothes. I am crushing on cotton and whites and I don’t like jeans. You can play with a lot of colours and jewellery if you are wearing white. I think I only have one proper pair of denims. I have a lot of those chinos… yellow, blue, neon, pink, magenta, lilac… I love flowy, easy-to-wear clothes and anything that lets your skin breathe. A shimmery linen sari by Anavila is on my to-buy list. 

Don’t go for an elaborate outfit. Take a simple outfit and use statement accessories to amp it up. Don’t shy away from wearing dark colours; just opt for the right fabrics like organza, modal lycra and crepe. Big prints and checks are your best friends this summer 
— Neha Gandhi, stylist

Make-up tips:

• This summer, go for pop eyes and nude lips. Matte eyeshadow looks cool in this season. Apply it with your fingers and blend it. 
• Don’t use kajal but line your eyes with white eye pencil. To open them up more, coat your lashes with mascara. 
• Play with textures if you have short hair like Swastika and tie it up in a neat ponytail or a gelled-back neat bun if you have long hair.
— Prasenjit Biswas, make-up artist

Text: Saionee Chakraborty
Pictures: Pabitra Das; styling: Neha Gandhi; hair & make-up: Prasenjit Biswas; location: The Astor; 
outfits: 431-88 @ Bombaim, Vedika M; jewellery: GUNINA by Puja Agarwal and Sakshi Jhunjhunwala; shoes: Rohan Arora