Face Off

Too busy to have a personal life? Has she not found the time to get married?

"No. It’s just that I haven’t had the right offer, yet."

So, if she is not married or pre-occupied with a family, then what is she so busy doing?

Adhuna’s life is a hair-raising tale. Hair today and hair tomorrow. "I’m most passionate about hairdressing, even above boyfriends."

Okay, by now you have guessed that she is a hairdresser?

Actually, the correct word is hair technician and one day she hopes to have her own salon in the city. Presently, Adhuna’s proper title is Artistic Manager for L’Oreal.

Where does art come into a profession that was limited to scissors and combs?

"I look after everything creative." That means everything from arranging photo shoots to helping with the training — all for haircare company L’Oreal. The companyhas big plans for India as they have just launched Majirel, a hair colour creme in India.

L’Oreal is a French name, and Adhuna has a strong phirang twang, so is she an import from Paris?

No, this French company’s creative woman is from England. She is half-English, half-Bengali. She was born `up North’, in the land of the Beatles — Liverpool — and moved to the city of London in search of work. She started out at 14, in a local salon where she worked on Saturdays. "I did everything from washing hair to cleaning toilets and sweeping the floor."

Did she every graduate to chopping and changing tresses?

Yes. She worked at Wella (which is actually L’Oreal’s rival), with Toni & Guy and even Trevor Sorbie both award-winning hairdressing salons. Toni & Guy even asked Adhuna to set-up a salon in Manchester for them.

Then did she lose her way and find herself in Mumbai or what happened?

She came here on a holiday and that’s it. She stayed. "I sent Toni & Guy a postcard saying: `I amnot coming back, I am searching for my soul’."

And did she find her mis-placed soul?

Well, she found work with a capital `W’. A year ago, she nearly packed her bags and upped but now Adhuna has also found shanti. "The UK does not call me." And even if it did, the UK would not find her at home. She has been busy working at various salons including The Silhouette at The Oberoi Hotel. "A lot of society women came to me by the foreign connection, though." So, the West found her ultimately.

So is it just hair that she puts her hands on?

No she has her fingers in many pies. From ad-films to editorial work, Adhuna has even helped produce a TV show for Channel [V] called Fashion Police. But her specialist topic is hair and make-up.

Since she seems quite the style guru, she must be obsessed with her own hair?

"I’m not vain, but yes, I like to maintain my hair." This scissor-happy lady likes to change her hair colour every month.

What does she think of desihairdressing?

"There is a lot of untapped talent, Indians are creative by nature." Adhuna hopes to tap into some of this talent. But she does finds that her Indian countercuts are a little wary of taking advice. "But it is not only the hairdresser who need to be educated, clients also need to be educated."

But isn’t the customer always right?

Not according to this service provider. "Women spend Rs 30,000 and above for a wedding outfit but tell them to spend Rs 2,000 on hair and they find that too expensive. But you wear your hair everyday."

What does she think of the traditional long hair, that most Indian women wear?

"Long hair should only been worn if it is beautiful." Otherwise chop, chop, chop! And colour should be used by all.

Colour?

She means highlights and lowlights or streaking as it is commonly called. Red shades are the best bet for Indian skins. "It is a myth that colour damages hair. For L’Oreal, hair is their business and they would not bring out productsthat ruin hair." Perhaps she would make a better spokeswomen for L’Oreal than Miss World Diana Hayden!

What is this colourful lady most likely to say?

"Everyone should wear hair colour."

And least likely to say?

"I am least likely not to comment on something. I have an opinion on everything."