Four Darshan Yewalekar looks that changed cinematic hair design forever;  Find out how he transformed Salman Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat, Saif Ali Khan and Ranveer Singh into unforgettable screen characters

JAMMU: When Darshan Yewalekar arrived on a film set in the 2000s as an aspiring hair designer from a small town, little did he know that decades later, he would be styling the ensemble casts of big-budget blockbusters and historical films. In his eventful career, he has been instrumental in pushing the discipline and craft of hair design beyond just surface appearance to contextual accuracy.

Also known for cutting-edge styling of stars like Ranveer Singh, Saif Ali Khan, Akshay Kumar, and many more, his work today spans not just red-carpet appearances, digital covers, and advertising campaigns of individual stars but designing the entire look for a film's cast to ensure that a certain era is represented faithfully. He is now at the forefront of catalysing a shift to hair design that contributes to character building and doesn't just inspire pop culture trends.

Here is an overview of some clutter-breaking looks by him that changed the tenor of hair design in cinema:

Salman Khan - Yuvvraaj

Darshan Yewalekar was an upcoming hair designer when he found himself on the sets of Subhash Ghai's film 'Yuvvraj' (2008) in charge of none other than superstar Salman Khan's hair. Darshan experimented with multiple colours to create a look that immediately caught the attention of fans when the film was released. The blonde tints expanded on the character's playful personality, and this hair design remains one of the most memorable ones in Salman Khan's lookbook. Darshan recalls, "The very first day of the shoot, we were in Austria and this is the first time Salman bhai was doing something this different. I started by completely pre-lightening the hair and then coating it with the desired colour. Initially, he was a bit taken aback, but when he saw the complete look, he felt reassured."

Jaideep Ahlawat - Jewel Thief

'Jewel Thief – The Heist Begins' will be released on Netflix on 25 April 2025 and is creating a massive buzz due to the looks Darshan has created for both its lead stars; Saif Ali Khan and Jaideep Ahlawat. The thriller, directed by Kookie Gulati and Robbie Grewal, presents Jaideep in a strikingly different avatar, and Darshan has a lot to do with this transformation. As he says, "Jaideep sir is a fabulously versatile actor and was open to suggestions about how we would change his look to blend in with the flashy and mercurial character he was playing. It helped immensely that he gave me total freedom to experiment with cut and colour and pushed the boundaries. What you see today is completely different from his previous characters. Especially if you compare this suave, charismatic and fashion-forward persona with the iconic character of Hathi Ram Chaudhary in 'Paatal Lok.' "

Saif Ali Khan - Jewel Thief

Saif is known for playing cool, magnetic characters and for 'Jewel Thief – The Heist Begins', Darshan had to create something that would not be repetitive but distinctly different. He says, "Saif plays a very fluid and transformative character and sports multiple looks in the film. The challenge was to create a foundational look of mid-length, wavy hair that we could change easily and seamlessly during transitions. I worked earlier with him in 'Laal Kaptaan' [2019], and he recommended me for this film. As always, I designed his look after reading the script and understanding his character's arc. It is always a joy to work with him as he is adventurously stylish and never afraid to experiment."

Ranveer Singh in '83'

This was one of the most difficult assignments for Darshan because Ranveer's styling had to do justice to the legacy of a living legend. He recalls, "The challenge hence for me was to transform Ranveer into Kapil sir, and this process began when I met director Kabir Khan, who said right at the onset that we had to replicate Kapil sir's distinctive curls and make them look as close as possible to how he looked in 1983. My research included going over multiple sets of vintage pictures and over five look tests to get the exact volume and style right. We devised the curls artificially as it is hard to get straight hair to replicate the kind of volume and bounce Kapil sir had."

He also worked meticulously to get the classic Kapil Dev moustache right, down to the last hair. He says, "We wanted to create a character with gravitas and not just a caricature. Ranveer did not hence sport a fake moustache, and we worked very hard to get all the micro details right. I got so much appreciation for this look from the industry, and it meant a lot, especially because we were not imagining a character but paying a tribute to someone who is part of our collective memory and imagination."