Behind every iconic character is an incredible artist—the backstage maestro that sculpts an on-paper personality onto the big screen with his repertoire of skills. Darshan Yewalekar is one such behind-the-scenes maven whose impressive roster of clients doesn’t end with just Ranveer Singh, instead, includes a plethora of industry hotshots such as Salman Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, and Saif Ali Khan.
In an exclusive tête-à-tête with Cosmo, Darshan talks about building a character’s persona via his hairstyle, a Ranveer Singh character he’s worked on that he holds dear to his heart, celebrity-approved tips to care of your mane, and more.
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Cosmopolitan: When on set, walk us through the process of constructing an on-screen character from scratch.
Darshan Yewalekar: “Building a film character begins with the script. When it comes to the hair, I expend all efforts to try and get into the DNA of the character—dissecting details about where he resides, his social standing, his background etc. Besides that, I also bear in mind the kind of character the actor is portraying, as well as the filmmaker’s vision of the protagonist; does he want a vulnerable character, does the character’s personality evolve through the course of the film, does he undergo a transformation. Then on a more technical level, we consider the actor’s hair texture, voluminosity, and length.”
“An amalgamation of these factors leads to the creation of an overarching hairstyle—we contemplate the cut, the length, and how the hair falls on the character’s face. Each look is curated keeping in mind the character’s unique traits, the circumstances, and the character graph. The tiniest detail is paramount when it comes to building a character to ensure that the audience will get invested and immersed in his story.”
Cosmopolitan: Tell us about a few iconic characters you’ve helped bring to life on the silver screen over the past few years.
Darshan Yewalekar: “Among the most iconic characters that I’ve helped create, two would have to be from filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s movies. For instance, for Bajirao Mastani (2015), I built a look that was in congruence with the Maratha culture. In fact, I spoke to Ranveer Singh about possibly shaving his head—an unpopular look for a mainstream hero at the prime of his career. He asked me, “Darshan, what does your gut say?” I confessed that I felt it was the right choice for the character. According to Peshwa Bajirao’s character graph, his hair growth fluctuates throughout the film—in some scenes, he’s entirely bald, whereas in others there is a bit of fuzz, and then in some, there is lush growth. To be honest, planning these variations within the shooting schedule wasn’t a cakewalk; to maintain continuity across a long schedule for a large-scale film was challenging, with no scope for mistakes.”
“Padmaavat (2018) was another challenging venture where I got to collaborate with Preeti, an exceptional prosthetic artist. Due to the lack of historical data available about Allauddin Khilji, we maintained an unkempt, untamed look as per Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s visualisation of the character. To manage the long locks through the duration of the film—and to style it for the Binte Dil bathtub sequence, on the battlefield, or in the royal court while perched atop a throne—great attention to detail was required.”
“On another note, I also enjoyed working in Laal Kaptaan (2019), where I was brought on board to design the look for actor Saif Ali Khan, on extremely short notice. After sifting through the script, I had a vision in mind to build a believable character that was so far removed from those otherwise seen in mainstream cinema. The film director, Navdeep Singh, had done his homework and had drawn up character sketches and reference material for all the pivotal roles. I worked to transform not only Saif but also Manav Vij and Deepak Dobriyal.”
Cosmopolitan: If we asked you to pick your absolute favourite character that you’ve worked on, who would it be and why?
Darshan Yewalekar: “That’s a difficult one—but it’d probably be Ram in Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (2013) or Peshwa Bajirao in Bajirao Mastani (2015). That said, every character that I have created for Ranveer has been close to my heart because he has allowed me the freedom to experiment and push the envelope. And that has allowed us to build an impressive body of work, not just in films but also for magazine shoots, brand associations, and on the red carpet. While all these opportunities have been exciting, as cliché as it may sound, my best work is yet to come.”
Cosmopolitan: What went into creating Ranveer Singh’s iconic look as Kapil Dev in 83 (2021)?
Darshan Yewalekar: “When I went to meet director Kabir Khan, he gave me some historical footage and pictures and said, “Darshan, let’s just make him look exactly like Kapil sir.” Thereby, instead of looking outward for cues, I had to look deeply into what was provided to me to make sure that every single curl on Ranveer’s forehead twirled exactly the same way we saw in the photographs from 1983. The sideburns and the moustache had to be trimmed with exactitude—it took over 40 minutes to trim the moustache to make it look closest to the original, by zooming into the stock pictures and making sure each hair fell into the same shape and form. By the end of five look tests, we nailed what we had envisioned and had wanted to achieve.”
Cosmopolitan: Would you care to spill some celebrity hair care secrets for us?
Darshan Yewalekar: “For most celebrities, their hair health comes from a combination of healthy eating, extensive workouts, and striking the correct work-life balance. Their haircare arsenal houses products that are ideal for their hair type and texture, and ones that minimise the repetitive damage caused due to heat styling. Regular hair spa rituals and customised treatments also help ensure that their hair health is optimal.”
Cosmopolitan: Could you share a few hair care and styling tips for those on a tight schedule?
Darshan Yewalekar: “Let’s start with the basics—make sure that you apply shampoo and conditioner that is suited for the length, texture, and health of your hair. Oil your hair once a week as it helps retain moisture in your scalp and strengthens the hair shaft. Apart from ghee, the Aloe Vera plant is another wonderful source of skin and hair health; extract the gel from the leaf and directly apply it to your scalp. Also, don’t rub your hair harshly while trying to towel dry it post a shower—dab or blot it. Use a cotton towel or a t-shirt and blot the water to avoid breakage and keep rough, coarse strands at bay. You must also ensure that you trim your hair once every month and a half. Lastly, bear in mind, if you follow a healthy lifestyle, it will reflect on your skin and hair.”
Cosmopolitan: Any words of wisdom for those who possess weak, fine strands of hair?
Darshan Yewalekar: “Besides towel drying the hair with a cotton t-shirt or microfiber cloth, those with weak, prone-to-damage hair should avoid using tongs and other heat styling tools on a regular basis. Plus, remember that too many hair procedures can also contribute to poor hair health. Volumizing shampoos and conditioners are light on the scalp and don’t flatten the mane. When you tie up your hair, don’t pull it too tight—this could give way to tension between your strands and the roots.”
Cosmopolitan: Can you offer some grooming tips for men who want to maintain a beard?
Darshan Yewalekar: “A beard is often unchartered territory for many men, and one would seldom know how to maintain it at home. It gets particularly challenging if the length of the beard is too much. For a short beard, know what number your trimmer should be at to trim it regularly at home. For a slightly longer one, an inch and above is enough. In addition, avoid using your regular shampoo or soap on the beard—there are beard care-specific shampoos available in the market today. For maintenance of a beard, consider visiting a barber once every two weeks or less. Once you grow a clean, well-shaped beard, you may start noticing hair growth below your chin or across your throat. Every day or two try and clean up the area with a trimmer or a razor.”
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