By: Ritwika Gupta
 

His zest for life is eternal and his vivacious personality almost infectious. Meet the hair icon of India - Jawed Habib ? the renowned hair stylist, who has made a mark for himself in a career spanning over 25 years.

Known for his association with fashion and celebrities, Habib has also authored best-selling hair books, is a hair consultant, an architect of a unique range of hair products and winner of numerous tresses awards. Habib shot to fame with his drive to make hair color fashionable across all sections of society in India.

A die-hard optimist, Habib?s career journey has been very exciting so far. Shedding some light on his younger days, he says that he was always inspired by his father but it was his experience at the London Hair Dressing School that helped him choose a career in hairstyling. It was here that he learnt the art of systematic approach to the hair profession.

?I decided that I wanted to become a hair dresser when I went to a famous hair dressing school in London. There was no looking back for me from there,? Habib shares.

Talking about the evolution of the hair and beauty industry over the years, Habib says, ?Personal grooming has become more of a basic need than a luxury, as it was thought five or so years ago. Today?s generation is image conscious. Considering today?s fast paced life, people do not have time for themselves. They would like to be groomed in the shortest possible time, in the best possible ways and at the most affordable prices possible. Everyone needs to look presentable at all times ? whether it is your workplace, your office or business or home.?

With trends changing at the drop of a hat, hairstylists are required to keep their abilities and skills up to date. ?If you want to stay in the business, your skills better adapt. Clients are so active about the ongoing trends that they bring in photographs on their smart phones of the hairstyle or color they have in mind,? Habib informs.

His skills, aesthetic sensitivity and solid expertise, helped him understand the needs of growing Indian market. Moreover in India, Bollywood has for long exerted a deep influence on popular Indian fashion. This year, Habib predicts that boho waves, long tails, braids and twists, big buns and bombshell blowouts are some of the trends to watch out for.

?Any haircut or new look adorned by an actor in a hit movie immediately becomes a prime tresses trend for a stylist to reproduce. But one has to understand that it?s not easy to replicate the look as the actor usually spends two hours behind that look. When it comes to a normal person, he or she cannot spend two hours on styling hair in their day to day life.?

The amount of chemicals that one puts in their hair these days is almost unbelievable. From hair rebonding, straightening, highlights and perming, the various chemical treatments impact the quality of one?s hair. While Habib agrees that these chemical treatments do cause damage, he is quick to point out that if the hair is healthy and the treatments are done by a professional, it will not damage the hair to a great extent. ?You need to deeply condition your hair after a treatment by applying a weekly hair mask,? the hair expert advises.

In order to maintain and take good care of hair, it is necessary to use high-quality products according to Habib. And that?s where Jabib Habib Hair Yoga comes in! Through Hair Yoga, Habib is introducing the ancient service of 'Champi' or head massage using oils specially created by the house of Jawed Habib, which will help improve the overall hair health and texture.

?This year, we are coming up with Jawed Habib Hair Yoga, which will have 12 products like a shampoo, serum and oil etc. These products will take good care of different types of hair ranging from dry, oily, curly, frizzy and even coloured-treated hair,? he shares.

Apart from his celebrity image, Habib is also an entrepreneur with 480 salons across 92 cities in India. Habib confesses that the secret behind his success was the attitude that he and his staff adopted over the years.

Habib believes that education can change any profession. The expert hones his skills and learns every day. He attributes his success in this profession to education. ?Learning our job well is of utmost importance. This gives an edge to us over others,? he signs off with a confident smile on his face.

By: Ritwika Gupta

Rom-coms, cupcakes, candle light dinners, flowers and candies ? some of the most cherished moments in our lives arise out of love. Although each one of us are preoccupied with a million priorities in today?s fast-paced setting, there is no denying the fact that all of us want to be with people whom we care about, who make us happy and who value us for who we actually are. When you find the right person to spend your entire life with, you enable yourself to weave long-lasting moments that create memories of a lifetime and a beautiful love story to share in the coming years. As Valentine?s Day draws closer, I have rounded up five of the true love stories of happily married couples in the television, media and lifestyle industries that truly make me believe that if you?re in love, everyday is Valentine?s Day!

LOVE IS FRIENDSHIP

Sudhir and Seema Sharma, owners of Sunshine Productions, have given us popular love stories on television like Miley Jab Hum Tum and Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha. However, when it comes to their own love affair, they confess that it was not a mushy romantic story at all.

Sudhir and Seema Sharma
 

?We both used to work for Zee Network in Delhi. Seema was a news producer with Zee while I had newly joined as a reporter. We became friends when I started anchoring. Our interaction led to friendship and I got along with her from day one. We became best of friends. So, this is not a typical romantic love story but I can proudly say that even after 15 years of marriage and two lovely kids, we are still the best of friends.?

 Sudhir admits that since they work together, there are bound to be small arguments and issues but the husband-wife duo are so passionate about their work that it hardly matters in the bigger scheme of things.

?Our morning starts with a conversation related to work but we have our ?switch on & switch off? mode. We try to avoid work post 8 pm and try to spend time with each other on weekends. We have an understanding like friends and the trust factor is there which is very important in any relationship.?

This year, the couple will be in Mumbai and you can spot them dining out at a restaurant in the city.

THE ROMANTIC ONE

Subhadarshi Tripathy, who is the cluster head - paid TV at Zee Entertainment, admits that his life would not have been the same without his wife, Shraddha who left her job to take care of his family and children.

Subhadarshi Tripathy with his twins

Subhadarshi and Shraddha know each other for 20 years now and met during an animation course where the former was completely awestruck by his wife.

?She was my batch-mate and way superior to me. I was a nobody and completely in awe of her as she was so good at her work. After knowing each other for sometime, I popped the question and proposed to her. We then got married in 2003.?

Subhadarshi shares that Valentine?s Day does not really have much of an importance in his life as he believes every day should be celebrated in love. Adding on to that, he tells us that there are no specific Valentine?s Day plans for this year.

Speaking of Shraddha?s role in his life, Subhadarshi admits that Shraddha helps him keep a work-life balance, as she understands his work schedule, which can get quite hectic at times.

?Even though I have a set of house keys, I still ring the doorbell because I want to see her face first when I come home,? he says with a slight blush.

THE FILMY LOVE STORY

Yash and Mamta Patnaik

Yash and Mamta Patnaik, founders of Beyond Dreams Entertainment, had the ultimate Bollywood-ish love story. There was a hero, heroine, villain, action and lots of drama.

?Back in 2001, we both were working for a channel. We knew each other but we were not friends. So during a celebration party for the channel, I bumped into her again. Initially we did not talk much but during the party, a few guys started misbehaving with a few girls. They were forcefully trying to dance with them and that is when I intervened to stop the guys. I guess that was my winning moment. That same night, I danced with Mamta and dropped her home too. This was in January 2001. By May, we got engaged and within the next year we got married.?

Completing 13 years of marriage this April, Yash confesses with a smile that nothing has really changed.

Speaking about how it is like to work with his wife, he says ?I think when you love each other, work becomes much easier. There are differences but the best part is that we spend almost 23-24 hours with each other. Our cabins are just opposite each other. When she is unable to come for a meeting, I attend it on her behalf. I put in the extra effort to do justice to her concepts.

Stating his beliefs that Valentine?s Day is a celebration of love and your loved ones, Yash admits that both of them complement each other perfectly.

When asked about his plans for this year, he laughs and shares, ?Well my wife?s birthday falls on 10 February, so there is a demand for two different gifts. But apart from that, I will also take her out for dinner.?

A FAMILY STYLE STATEMENT

Jawed & Shaheen Habib

Top hairstylist and founder of Jawed Habib Hair & Beauty, Jawed Habib has a very interesting love story to share. ?My wife, Shaheen was one of my clients who used to come for a haircut to me and that?s how I met her and we fell in love,? he admits.

Speaking about his wife?s role in his life, Jawed admits that Shaheen has managed to give all the values to their children that he had received from his mother when he was a child. ?It is not difficult for me to maintain a work - life balance as my wife has been a pillar of strength and support. I live only for today and I don?t depend on tomorrow,? he says.

When quizzed about their Valentine?s Day plans for this year, he shares, ?I normally spend my Valentine?s Day with my family at home. Valentine?s Day is about being with your dear ones and this year, I will be taking them out for dinner. Furthermore, for me it is also about spending time with my employees who work so hard for me day and night. So yes, I have a huge family to celebrate this Valentine?s Day.

LOVE AT WORK

Rupali and Pintoo Guha, owners of Film Farm India, have been married for 21 years now. They met during a work assignment and got married in 1993. Talking about the significance of Valentine?s Day in their lives, Rupali says, ?To be honest, neither Pintoo nor I believe in Valentine?s Day. We believe everyday should be celebrated like Valentine?s Day. I think it is utopian for every working woman to have a man in her life whom she can share the same level of understanding with.?

Rupali and Pintoo Guha

Rupali admits that whether it is work or home, she is lucky to have Pintoo by her side and shares that it is not very difficult to maintain a work life balance if you have faith in each other.

?During work, Pinto and I distribute our responsibilities. While I take charge of the creative aspect, he takes responsibility of the production. It is not like we agree all the time but we debate about it and it works fine at the end of the day,? she tells us with a smile on her face.