Akshay has repeatedly proved that he isn’t coy about pushing
Manish Mishra
Undeniably suave and impossibly sophisticated — supernova Akshay Kumar’s new bald look in his upcoming film Housefull 4, exclusively shared with HT City, pens a new lexicon in the cinematic style spectrum. The dapper 52-year-old finishes off his smooth look with a sharp evening jacket, a nifty bowtie and statement sunnies as he cuts a fine figure under a luminous gold chandelier.
Think an Italian mafioso with a rock’n’roll edge or a haute hipster thumbing his nose at the style look books with impunity, and you’ve pretty much summed it up.
While internationally, the bald look on men — be it Hollywood actors or musicians — has always been the talking point, this new avatar of the Khiladi is likely to trigger a new frenzy of AKinspired looks in India.
“With his spiffy sunglasses and tuxedo, Akshay looks just beyond dapper. He’s ageless and such an inspirational figure for all of us. Be it Indian clothes or international brands, he could just pull off anything under the sun. He’s essentially a director’s actor. While the bald and cleanshaven look has been a major trend internationally, Akshay nails it with his characteristic refined approach to style. It’s bound to set off a new wave in the Indian grooming space,” says designer Rimple Narula.
THE RELENTLESS RISK TAKER
new boundaries.
Designer Rina Dhaka says, “Akshay’s bald avatar exudes a sense of new avant-garde and goes to prove that he’s comfortable in his skin. I see it kicking off a flurry of bald looks in fashion and cinema in the coming weeks. The actor is incredibly fit. The overall message one could deduce is that one should be comfortable in one’s skin, as, for a lot of guys, balding or thinning of hair is a genuine fear.”
METAPHOR FOR AGELESSNESS
With each film and red carpet appearance, Akshay has broken the cocoons of rigid sartorial codes and cultivated his own personal style. This bald look further cements him as a veritable style chameleon.
Designer Rahul Mishra hails the actor’s attitude and a sliver of insouciance which the look radiates. “I see a pan-global style sensibility here. Back in the ’90s, actors would sport perfect gelled-up or puffed hair, even while they were sleeping or swimming, in a scene. Or an actor would sport the same hairstyle for 25 years. However, today, it’s all about being natural and staying true to the character. Actors like Akshay are challenging this dated mould of male vanity. I’d love to see Akshay sport this look with a three-piece textured suit. All in all, it’s the best time for both fashion and cinema in terms of experimentation,” he says.