Me and my mane

For photographer Manik Bose, sporting a long mane has been an obsession for long. Bose believes that long hair makes him stand out in a crowd. Bose, who has also played volleyball at the national level, said he was inspired by long-haired sportsmen at that time. “I have had long hair since 1978 and for the past 26 years, I have not changed my style,” he says. Though volleyball took a backseat, the style stayed on. His family never objected to his long hair. “In fact, if I cut my hair now, they would not be able to recognise me,” Bose signed off.

Bollywood has gone blonde and funky. Anil Kapoor and Sanjay Dutt have sported funky hairdos in their latest film Musafir. Akshay Kumar is testing fan loyalty with his cool hairstyle in Bewafaa. In a country that worships filmstars, it is not surprising that the latest trends in hairstyling will catch the fancy of youths. Ranchi is no exception to this rule.

Youths in the capital are making a beeline for personal grooming parlours. With the costs involved in getting a new look being comparatively low, most people are going for an overhaul. ?A good hairstyle reflects the importance an individual gives to his appearance. It also helps in putting across the right image personality. ?One should always go for a style that suits his personality and, at the same time, is trendy,? says Kamlesh a college student.

The traditional beard is also making a style statement. ?Styling the beard adds to the person?s overall image. It?s easy to grow a beard, but difficult to maintain it, ? says Amit a St Xavier's College student.

Wish list

Spike cut: Finely cropped hair where only few small strands are left on the front, When groomed with hair-styling gel, the style lends a distinct ?pop star? look to the individual.

Batch cut: The hair on the back of the neck is shaved, while the top is left long enough to flow like an umbrella. The hair, with time, covers the shaved area. This style is a rage among youngsters today, Thakur said.

Slope cut: The length of the hair decreases gradually from the top of the head to the back of the neck, giving a distinct ?sloping? look to the hair.

Mushroom-cut: Hair from the sides and the back is trimmed short, while the hair on top is left long. The hair on the top of the head flows down over the sides and the back giving an ?umbrella? or a ?mushroom? look .

Hot Zones

Gulmohar Beauty Parlour, Main Road): Claim they Add a ?different and distinct? look to individuals. Adil, an employee, says it takes little time to master the various styles. ?Stars in Bollywood are aping their counterparts from Hollywood. We, in turn, copy a Bollywood styles,? he added. ?At times, customers explain the style they want. We try our best to satisfy them. We also go through fashion magazines and posters of stars to learn more about the their hairstyles,? Adil says.

Samrat Beauty Parlour (Main Road): Offers expertise to people looking forward to an image overhaul. Apart from various styles of haircuts, customers could also get their tresses coloured in various tints to get a different look. ?Our customers usually opt for grey, black, brown or burgundy with burgundy and brown leading the pack in terms of demand. Some customers not keen on synthetic products can go have herbal-based products or henna,? said an employee.