Hair: The long and short of it!

Mohawks, butch and the buzz cuts,  undercuts, pony tails, slick backs, quiffs, curls and spikes… men have these and many more trendy hair styles to pep up their personality. They are spoilt for choice as much as we women are when it comes to grooming and fashion, only unlike us they think too hard before tossing out the old and ushering in the new? Or do they? “They experiment more than the women as it is generally easier to do so with shorter hair,” reasons B Blunt’s much in demand hairstylist Brent Barber. But being someone who follows international trends, does he feel Indian men shy away from getting fashionable hairsty;es when compared to their counterparts abroad? “Men, wherever they are like to be noticed and are confident in their overall style,” he says.  Celebrity hair stylist Savio John Pereira also agrees and adds, “Men are open to changing their hair styles as long as they are trendy, commercially viable and easy to maintain.” You can spot many playing around with their side locks and side burns too, he adds. “Men just like women are open to the idea of new styles. They usually come asking for looks sported by film stars or something that they have seen in a magazine. And yes, men abroad, especially in America and UK, are more for styling their hair but that’s also because they are not culturally pressurised like Indians are. Having said that Savio notes that, “Bangalore men are not far behind when it comes to fashionable hair styles.” Going by the styles that many Kannada actors have been sporting we couldn’t agree more.

For starters, film star Upendra is someone who is known for going wild with his hair dos. From sporting long and curly hair to going short and coloured, Uppi has done it all. His trend setting hair dos were mostly seen in Super. He looked best in the scenes where he tied up his bronze coloured hair into two small pony tails. Actor Srinagara Kitty also has let his tress do the talking, time and again. From leaving his hair long to going short for the boy next door look in Sanju Weds Geetha to going bald in Mathe Mungaru, he has played around with many a look. Dilip Raj, a popular TV host and film actor is also known to change his hair styles. He however looked his glamorous best in Gaana Bajana where he grew his hair long and coloured it bright. Actor Prem is also often found meddling around with the length of his hair. While on the topic, it is hard to miss out actor Chetan’s name. From mohawks, straight long hair, to long side locks, he has made an impression with these and more styles. “I feel different every time I sport a new style. In fact styles, be it in hair or clothes, make a significant contribution to the performer in me. After Birugali, you’ll see me carrying two distinctive styles in Mynaa that I will be shooting for,” adds Chetan.

But do actors restrict themselves to looking different each time they appear on screen or do they make that extra effort to register their presence with funky styles, offscreen too? We got some of them to tell us why they experiment or don’t with cuts and colours…