If Kriti Sanon has been raving about her hairstyles in Raabta, Sania Mirza’s mane has never looked better, Parineeti Chopra is getting experimental with her locks, and Amy Jackson looks stunning in her new hairdo each time she steps out...all these celebrities have hairstylist Aasif Ahmed to thank for.
Ahmed is a laconic guy, maintaining a low profile as opposed to other snip specialists who have embraced celeb-hood. “I let my work speak for me and thankfully it has been working in my favour. When you have a handful of celebrities vouching for your craft, then shouting from the top of the buildings about who you are becomes less relevant,” he says.
But what made him get into hair styling to start with? “I started my career as a celebrity manager and movie marketer, but I knew somewhere in my heart that hairstyling was my passion. One day, I just gave up everything to follow my dream. During my early days, my fellow glam-team member, make-up artist Adrian Jacob and his mother, the veteran hairstylist Irene Jacobs, guided me tremendously.”
So what makes our desi female actors tick? “They know where they want to wear their hair natural and where they want to look ultra-glamorous. They are also game to try out international looks that are a marked departure from the regular over-the-top Bollywood hairstyles,” he shares. “For instance, I love the hairstyling in Game of Thrones. Though they are vintage, they could easily fit in today’s scenario as bohemian hairdos.”
Then there are hairstyles that he has created adroitly that have taken the social media by storm. Recently with Kriti Sanon, Aasif shaped the waterfall twist that won applause from her fans as well. “A one-sided French braid with Kriti rocked with her naturally gorgeous hair. With Amy, I recently did an amazing vintage look.”
Of course, it is a competitive field with evolving locks and racy hairdos ruling the roost on social media. But it is a rewarding field to be in. “When I was a media person, there was job security. In this line of work, there in nothing like that. There were too many established people ruling the industry when I started out, and it has been tough carving my own niche. But I am loving my journey. I strongly believe that if your passion gives you the money to survive, then that is the best thing to happen to you. God has been kind to me. I am thankful for that,” he says.
So, what is the biggest misconception people have about hairstyling? “That a good hairstyle can be achieved only with loads of products!” retorts Aasif. But admit it, everyone has bad hair days. “So, when your hair looks terrible and unkempt, then fix it with dry shampoo,” reveals Aasif. “It works like magic, giving instant volume to your mane and letting you style it as you desire. Though you must remember, this is a quick fix solution that lasts for a short while. The idea is to understand and appreciate your hair’s natural tendency and use it to your advantage.”
“Meanwhile, you do need patience aplenty to crack into the top bracket.Hard work pays off in terms of constantly upgrading your art and understanding the facial structure of the person you are working with as each face needs a different look,” he says. Next up from Aasif is his stunning work on Kriti Sanon’s locks in Bareilly ki Barfi. “You will be seeing her in a completely different look. Pour in your reactions to her first look,” he says, signing off with a smile.
Ahmed is a laconic guy, maintaining a low profile as opposed to other snip specialists who have embraced celeb-hood. “I let my work speak for me and thankfully it has been working in my favour. When you have a handful of celebrities vouching for your craft, then shouting from the top of the buildings about who you are becomes less relevant,” he says.
But what made him get into hair styling to start with? “I started my career as a celebrity manager and movie marketer, but I knew somewhere in my heart that hairstyling was my passion. One day, I just gave up everything to follow my dream. During my early days, my fellow glam-team member, make-up artist Adrian Jacob and his mother, the veteran hairstylist Irene Jacobs, guided me tremendously.”
So what makes our desi female actors tick? “They know where they want to wear their hair natural and where they want to look ultra-glamorous. They are also game to try out international looks that are a marked departure from the regular over-the-top Bollywood hairstyles,” he shares. “For instance, I love the hairstyling in Game of Thrones. Though they are vintage, they could easily fit in today’s scenario as bohemian hairdos.”
Then there are hairstyles that he has created adroitly that have taken the social media by storm. Recently with Kriti Sanon, Aasif shaped the waterfall twist that won applause from her fans as well. “A one-sided French braid with Kriti rocked with her naturally gorgeous hair. With Amy, I recently did an amazing vintage look.”
Of course, it is a competitive field with evolving locks and racy hairdos ruling the roost on social media. But it is a rewarding field to be in. “When I was a media person, there was job security. In this line of work, there in nothing like that. There were too many established people ruling the industry when I started out, and it has been tough carving my own niche. But I am loving my journey. I strongly believe that if your passion gives you the money to survive, then that is the best thing to happen to you. God has been kind to me. I am thankful for that,” he says.
So, what is the biggest misconception people have about hairstyling? “That a good hairstyle can be achieved only with loads of products!” retorts Aasif. But admit it, everyone has bad hair days. “So, when your hair looks terrible and unkempt, then fix it with dry shampoo,” reveals Aasif. “It works like magic, giving instant volume to your mane and letting you style it as you desire. Though you must remember, this is a quick fix solution that lasts for a short while. The idea is to understand and appreciate your hair’s natural tendency and use it to your advantage.”
“Meanwhile, you do need patience aplenty to crack into the top bracket.Hard work pays off in terms of constantly upgrading your art and understanding the facial structure of the person you are working with as each face needs a different look,” he says. Next up from Aasif is his stunning work on Kriti Sanon’s locks in Bareilly ki Barfi. “You will be seeing her in a completely different look. Pour in your reactions to her first look,” he says, signing off with a smile.