Short & chic: Bollywood actresses set the trend for the short hair look

Bollywood divas keep up with the times. And they sure know the “shortcuts” to look their best. Several of them have chopped off their long, lustrous hair to go for short and sweet hairstyles: from chin-length bobs to sharp pixie cuts, celebs such as Sonakshi Sinha, Anushka Sharma and previously, Tamannaah Bhatia have been experimenting with their hairdos.

Sonakshi, who till recently flaunted long, beautiful hair, surprised everyone by opting for a shoulder-length haircut. “I’ve always wanted to chop off my hair but often the roles in my films demanded long hair. This time around, I got some space to cut my tresses and go for a short hairdo. I feel a lot lighter with this style and now, it takes me just three minutes to blow-dry my hair,” she says.

Long hair is generally associated with the conventional Indian beauty but many Bollywood actors are now breaking stereotypes. Make-up artist and stylist Neha Panda says, “While Hollywood actresses have never shied away from chopping off their locks, not many Bollywood actresses are up for it as they feel it might hamper their career. But to see many actresses now experimenting with short hair is a refreshing change.”

Hair and beauty expert Shahnaz Husain informs that they have started getting more requests for short hairstyles and about 25-30 per cent girls now want short hair. Shahnaz says that among short hairstyles, the straight blunt cut with straight thick fringe, like the Cleopatra look, is very in these days. She advises, “If you want to go for a short cut, go for a straight or side-swept fringe with a blunt cut. Bobs cut suits most hair textures, be it straight, wavy or curly.

Another version of the bob that is really popular is one that is shorter at the back and slightly longer in front, coming forward at both sides. A short hairstyle suits oval and long faces more. A fringe would suit a long face. The style can be upto chin level, with soft layers or curls.”

Hairstylist Sachin Dakoji feels great to see women experimenting with their hair. He says, “Shorter hair is easy to maintain and looks extremely chic. There are a lot of different styles like a strong pixie cut or the asymmetrical bob that are current trends. I’m also a big fan of the ‘lob’ or the long bob, with the hair cut just below the shoulders.”