Of hairy tales and Nabin Scissorhands

Mane Mantra

Have you seen SRK’s new hairstyle?” a college student asks his friend just after watching the trailer of Happy New Year. Admit it, we do it all the time –– spend some time preening in front of the mirror, imagining what it would like to be a pilot, or a favourite Bollywood hero or heroine. Indeed, filmstars, cricketers and sometimes even politicians, all seem to inspire us with their looks, their style of dressing and more importantly their hairstyles.

And, we take it as a compliment if a Facebook comment compares us with a famous face! The first thing we do when such comparisons happen is check out the look in the mirror and ruffle our hair.

Hair – a necessary asset to give a good first impression – is something we want to keep healthy, shiny and trendy with a good cut. Visit Saloon Deluxe at Chittaranjan Park’s Market No. 3 on a Thursday.Meet Nabin, the guy behind many dudes who would most likely turn out to be the centre of attraction at your party.

All of 24, Nabin is a powerhouse of talent with an experience of working with the city’s leading salons, including ‘Affinity’ and ‘Looks’.“I got many offers to go and work abroad, including Singapore and Dubai. But I chose to stay with my father and brother and work in India, especially in Delhi,” says the pony-tailed, stubbled dude with a smile. Both men and women have willingly submitted their precious mane to his expert snipping and styling, and emerged happier from the experience.
Not surprising that he has earned the sobriquet ‘Nabin Scissorhands’.

A haircut, stylish or regular, is an art and you will enjoy watching this young stylist play with your hair and regale you with his never-ending supply of gossip. His clientele includes the likes of national shooting champion Gagan Narang’s coach Staninlus Lapidus, who bumped into this reporter at the salon recently. Also, music director Shantanu Moitra who comes here almost regularly to get his clean bald look.

Nabin’s father Paresh Sheel runs two small, cosy salons. ‘Paresh uncle’, as regulars fondly call him, is in his fifties and mainly attends to people of his age. The middle-aged and the oldies prefer Paresh uncle for the simplicity in his work. He has great help in Shankarda, whose expertise is in small cuts that give a decent look.
If ever you like Shahid Afridi’s hairstyle from the 90s and still want to sport the Afridi look, submit yourself to the expertise of Abdul, the man who has been working at Saloon Deluxe for seven years, and his assistant Wazid.

The team is incomplete without 26-year-old Kishor, Nabin’s elder brother, the brain and hands that give every youngster who comes to the shop their stylish look. Kishor can give you a choice of at least 12 hairstyles with the same length of hair.
The Sheels charge a minimum Rs 70 for a cut and another Rs 30 for a shave or trim. A full-body or a head massage varies between Rs 100 and Rs 200. You can also get your hair coloured, oiled or treated to a spa. Experience it once. Chances are you won’t go unhappy.But there’s a catch: An appointment with Nabin is sheer luck!