Aalim Hakim On Styling SRK & Ranbir Kapoor & What To Expect From 'King'

He's regarded as a guru in hairstyling, with everyone from Shah Rukh Khan and Ranbir Kapoor to M.S. Dhoni and Virat Kohli trusting him to snip their hair. But did you know that Aalim Hakim was all of nine years old when he lost his father, legendary hairstylist Hakim Kainavi, and had to grow up almost overnight? It was as a tribute to his father that he started a chain of luxury salons, Hakim’s Aalim, that's most recently opened up an outlet in Dubai's Marina Promenade, while being present in multiple key cities in India. “Next year we’re planning to do something in America,” he beams with confidence. Not to mention his work styling SRK in his next movie, King.

We chatted with him on his journey, working with iconic men and more. Excerpts below:

Tell us something about your celebrated hairstylist father, the late Hakim Kairanvi. 

My father used to do hair styling and cutting at Salon Madame Jacques in the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Colaba, Mumbai in the 1970s. He styled Bollywood icons including Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Khanna, Dharmendra. For instance, Dad gave Vinod Khanna the famous middle-parted hair style in Qurbani (1980). Politicians, industrialists like Ratan Tataji were also his clients. When martial artist Bruce Lee and professional boxer/activist Mohammad Ali visited India, they got their hair cut from dad.

His journey was cut short tragically. 

Dad suffered his first heart attack at the age of 32. Few years later in March 1984, while he was styling Amitji’s (Bachchan) hair on the set of Mard in Mysore he felt pain in his chest. Amitji told him to fly down to Mumbai. He was to be admitted to a hospital in Juhu. Having a love for all things ‘fancy’, he wanted to be driven to the hospital in a good car. The Nadiadwalas sent a red car for him. Before getting into the car, he told my mother (Zebunnisa), “I want hair-cutting to continue in my salon.’ Dad passed away the next day. He was 39 while I was nine.  

How did life change after his death? 

Dad had no savings. He spent all his money on family and friends. Food for 25-30 people was prepared at home daily. There would be a feast with alcohol freely flowing. When he passed away there was only ₹13 in the bank. Mom approached people for help. Though we were promised a lot, no help came along. Sunil Dutt saab was the only one, who gave us ₹1,000, a huge amount those days. I had two younger sisters Tehzeeb and Tabeer. Mom didn’t have money to pay our school fees. I filled the OBC form and availed of help. Later, I studied in Mithibai College. Simultaneously, I learnt hair-cutting from my uncle who was also a barber. I did hair styling in the balcony at home for ₹20. Mom had rented out the bedroom in our 1BHK flat for ₹800. We had to wait to use the bathroom as our paying guest got first priority. The turning point came when L’Oréal sponsored me to train internationally.

Do you believe hair is the game-changer where glamour is concerned? 

You can style your hair differently in the morning, afternoon, evening… all in a single day. You can’t change your face but hair can transform the way you appear. Men don’t use make-up so hair is a game-changer for them. It defines their sex-appeal.  

What’s your USP as a hairstylist? 

I try to break the rules. I take the unconventional approach but the result has to be attractive. In Animal, both Ranbir Kapoor and Bobby Deol have been presented differently. I wanted Ranbir to have long hair but director Sandeep Vanga Reddy feared he’d end up looking like he did in Sanju. I assured him he wouldn’t. Also, the beard lent Ranbir an exceptional vibe.  Similarly, Bobby was given unruly hair but a well-groomed beard to highlight the contrast in his personality. We persuaded Shahid Kapoor to go for a shorter, neatly-groomed hairstyle in the flashback of Kabir Singh. Just as we convinced Hrithik Roshan to sport a short sleek crop in War (the look was military-inspired with a salt-and-pepper touch to add maturity to his character). 

Styling for Shah Rukh Khan in the upcoming King seems to be a mega moment.  

What you see in the teaser is not the complete look. Shah Rukh Khan is going to look extremely hot, extremely sexy and extremely handsome in King. His look is grungy and sexy. It’s rugged. 

A fascinating facet about SRK you’ve discovered?

His eyes are sharp as his sense of observation. He may not seem to be a fashionista but he knows everything that’s happening in the fashion world. Sometimes people get carried away by what you say. But while Shah Rukh will respect your ideas, he has his own viewpoint… a quality inherent in all the superstars. 

Any advice for aspiring hair-stylists? 

Professional training is necessary. Also, gaining experience under a hairdresser is important before branching out on your own. But you’ve got to be a learner all your life. Don’t consider anyone as ‘junior’ or ‘senior’.  Every morning I stalk hair stylists the world over keeping myself well-informed.

Lastly, are you wearing a wig or have you done hair weaving? 

No, it’s a hair patch. I openly tell people it’s fake hair. You have one life so do whatever you want. Yesterday, my kids saw me without the patch after a long time. They said, ‘Dad you’re looking funny’. They like me with it!