Bollywood's Most Iconic And Popular Hair Trends Ev

When it comes to starting hair trends,on a scale of one to ten Bollywood stars would rank at the very bottom of the list.Preferring to keep their hair either poker straight or tight buns very few actually experiment with their hairstyles on the red carpet let alone on the big screen.However over the years taking cue either from their edgier Western counterparts or with inspiration from their stylists,a bunch of Tinseltown stars have come up with quite a range of hairstyles-from the famed Sadhana Cut to the perennial favourite bob cuts and bangs,from the bouffant to the mullet and from hair extensions to crazy wigs.And while many of them have been particularly hideous do's,for some reason or the other they turned out to be intensely popular giving a hard time to hairdressers at the saloon trying to create identical clones of their hairstyles at the behest of thousands of besotted gals and guys.
Here's looking at some of Bollywood's most popular hair trends down the ages along with some styling tips and precautions for maintaining them.

*THE SADHANA CUT:-

Other than making tight-fitting churidaars all of a rage in "Waqt",Sadhana also made fringes a 'la Audrey Hepburn style a phenomenon back in the 60s.Inspired by the Hollywood legend's gorgeous fringe in Roman Holiday,Sadhana's wispy micro fringe gave a seductive yet saccharine twist to the timeless pixie cut,a hairstyle that remains just as popular today as it was all those years ago.Others have tried to recreate the look,but none came close to the impact created.

+Styling tip: This is a wonderful cut for playing up a beautiful face and swanlike neck. You can wear the bangs soft and piecey, sweep them to one side, or even secure them with a pretty little clip or bobby pin, a skinny headband can look really flattering and chic too.

*KEEPING IT SHORT,WAVY AND CLASSIC:-

These ladies were born glamorous;they didn't have to resort to any elaborate hairstyles to make their hair stand out. Allowing their naturally wavy, medium-length tresses a slight curl or wave to render it a manageable look did sufficient to portray them as the liberated woman of the 1950s.This hairstyle is a particularly romantic and innocent one,that frames the face in a lovely way drawing attention to the mouth,while remaining elegant and classy.

+Styling tip:If you're in your early 20s and wear minimal makeup,go for less structured waves by using hot rollers. Spray each 1-inch section of hair with two to three mists of hairspray and put it into a hair roller. When the rollers feel cool, let your hair down. Spray some dry shampoo at the crown, let it dry for a minute, then brush your hair out and shape it with your fingers.

*THE BOLD AND THE "BOUFFANT":-

The fashion fad of the 60s ,our gorgeous Bollywood beauties loved to pile their hair on the top,let it hang down from the sides,accessorise with pretty sparkling hair jewels,flowers and headbands.And oh……hold it all together with hairspray,…..loads and loads of hairspray.Instantly associated with a star-studded,intimate evening from the consistently elegant Sharmila Tagore to the unfussy Waheeda Rehman to the elfin Saira Banu, few could resist the glamour of the bulky bouffant.

+Styling tip:To get the iconic pulled-back bouffant from the 60s you need to backcomb the front and back sections of the hair across the crown, followed by pulling back the bangs and securing them with bobby pins.Gaining the extra volume is simple if you apply a styling lotion while your hair is still wet after washing.You can use rollers to create the perfect locks or keep it wavy for the texture that created volume.Of course, you can make it more fun with some embellished headbands,curling the bottom of your hair afterwards,or tying the bottom section of your hair into a sleek ponytail.

*BEE IN YOUR BONNET:-

An enduring symbol of 1960s kitsch,the beehive made popular by Audrey Hepburn's exaggerated hive in "Breakfast With Tiffany" made quite a sweeping impact on Bollywood as well.So whether it was Helen and Mumtaz's gorgeously lacquered version of the big hair or Rakhi Gulzar's elaborately teased and elegant one,the beehive always managed to make an enduring impression.

+Styling tip:It's a hairstyle defined by volume and height.Using a teasing comb, you can create your preferred style of beehive, whether you decide to opt for a cleaner look, with the back sections of your hair secured to the back of the neck, a style sported by Jennifer Lopez, or leave your locks hanging after creating the extra volume on top.

*WANNA CHIGGY "WIGGY" WITH ME:-

In the 70s heroines sported multiple looks in the same movie.If in one scene, she boasted of Rapunzel's length, the next paid tribute to Marilyn Monroe.How was this achieved? Simple, they wore wigs-cute, wacky, tacky, flouncy, inventive wigs.Whether it was dancing sensation Helen, classical beauties like Vyjyanthimala and Hema Malini or trendsetters like Asha Parekh and Babita, everybody embraced fake hairpieces like a sport.Platinum blonde,auburn,ginger,exaggerated buns,the key was the weirder,the better.Spectacular.

+Styling tip:Thinking which hairdo you should don for your 70s themed party?Just pop on a brightly tinted,voluminous wig,and accentuate it with bright neon colours,crazy headgears,and tinted nail colours and accessories.The bigger the better.

*BANGS WITH CUTE RIBBONS:-

Asha Parekh's side-parted bangs with a girlish ribbon in 'Caravan' became a big hit with actresses of the era.Sporting heavy wig pieces added glamour and volume to the hair pieces.Hema Malini's high ponytail bound twice with ribbons in Seeta Aur Geeta became hugely popular.

+Stylip Tip:Side swept bangs work best for those with a heart or oval shaped face and the hair length for this look should be shoulder length or longer.To achieve a greater impact keep your makeup minimalistic and spruce up the attention to detail by adding more girly colours.

*PERFECTION NOW AVAILABLE IN SIDE FLICKS:-

Long black hair is archetypical of a Hindi film heroine and an enduring symbol of unabashed feminity and seduction.Lending her brand of sexy to this classic style,the gorgeous Parveen Babi teamed her straight and silky mane with side flicks on either side of the parting.From Zeenat Aman,to Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil to Padmini Kolhapure, Poonam Dhillon and Anita Raj till, perhaps, Bhagyashree, the aforementioned hairstyle has enjoyed quite a run.

+Styling tips:If you've a heart shaped face try wispy, angled bangs parted off-center with the shortest pieces hitting your face at the arch of your brow & the longest hitting the outer corners of eyes to balance out a sharp chin.Keep it simple and classic with minimalistic makeup.

*AU NATURALE:-

The credit for bringing full voluminous hair goes to Dimple Kapadia.Do you remember that Crowning Glory soap ad way back in 90's?Definitely the best mane in the business.Others after and before her have followed suit,and let their naturally cascading tresses let down loose including Meena Kumari, Nutan, Jaya Bhaduri, Dimple Kapadia, Tabu, Sonam Kapoor.

+Styling tips:Just be yourself,let those Rapunzel length locks fall and be awesome.

*GIRL NEXT DOOR'S "BUN" SUPREMACY:-

Then again as a contrast to the glitzy exaggeration of the 70s,you had the timeless bun-neatly tied up accentuated by soft side curls;the enduring mark of the "girl-next door" or the quintessential innocence of the Indian bahu.The likes of the cute-as-a-button Mumtaaz,Reena Roy and Raakhee just demonstrate that with dignity.

+Styling tip: The simplicity of this style belies its impact.Depending on the texture of the hair, height of the bun and addition of accessories the side bun hairstyle can appear retro or very much of the moment. For that casual, tousled look,pull a few pieces of curls around your face to add softness, touching up with a curling iron as needed.

*I LIKE IT BIG,I LIKE IT CHUNKY:-

An ultra-feminine and girly hairstyle,this typical 70s look is achieved by tying mounds of locks in a high rise bun while letting the overwhelming remainder delicately fall on your shoulders.As demonstrated by then newcomers Yogeeta Bali, Kaajal Kiran, Moushmi Chatterji and Bindu,the high rise hair lends more youthfulness to your face while also making it sexy.

+Styling tip: Allow up to 2 hours styling time for hot roller setting, teasing, pinning and spraying. This long lasting style is great for all occasions and all weather conditions.Those with a round or oval face shape will greatly benefit from this style.

*PIN AND PROPER:-

The hot and happening upcoming young stars of the 70s preferred to keep it cute and simple by sporting a middle parting with clips on either side. This style made the star look instantly younger and endearing, and brought us back to our innocent Lolita days.How else do you explain Tina Munim, Bindiya Goswami, Rati Agnihotri and Deepti Naval looking absolutely adorable in it?

+Styling tip:Keep it neat,clean and youthful and play up with the colours.You can even introduce a hairband to spruce up the look or scrunch the hair for texture and wave.

*ALL KNOTTY AND NICE:-

There's something about plaits.It can either chanel your schoolgirl spirit,or can exude the traditional elegance of a proper lady. Rekha and Neetu Singh sure realised its versatility by knotting up their famously silky tresses in tidy,double pigtails which gave an instant boost to their youthful appeal.South Indian queen bee's Sridevi and Jaya Pradha on the other hand had their Rapunzel-length mane wrapped up in seriously long single plaits with gajra's adorning their pretty heads,the ultimate embodiment of a graceful,classy,traditional atypical 'Bhartiya Nari'.

+Styling tip:Play up to your strengths and either go natural,boho,country girl or keep it formal yet messy.Loosen some pieces above the elastics and finger-tease the tails to add volume.Add gajras or pretty hair jewellery or team it up with hairbands and clips as accustomed to the occasion.Well-conditioned hair is ideal for this style, as it avoids frizz and fly-aways within the braid itself. Do not sleep in braids on a regular basis. It can cause breakage and split ends in your hair.

*BIG HAIR CRAZE:-

As with the rest of the world sporting mullets,mowhauks and wigs in rock concerts in the 80s,Bollywood caught up with quite a few men in Bollywood,Sanjay Dutt and Mithun being the foremost.But the women were not too far behind either with Sridevi sporting a crazy but cute curled up bob,her version of the big hair and Madhuri too donning a slight mullet in Tamma Tamma loge.Its a nostalgic of course,but gives us several more reasons why not to take fashion tips from the 80s.

+Styling tip:Trust me you don't want this hairstyle unless of course you've got a good excuse like an 80s Party.But if you're really desperate to start a new fad think about donning perhaps a side ponytail,big bangs,assymetrical bob cuts the Rodent hairstyle,all of which are quintessentially 80s.

*LOVE ME,LOVE MY STEPS:-

One of the most prominent trademarks of the Dhak Dhak Girl was her side-swept steps-curled or blow-dried hairstyle.There's something distinctively 80s about the look,and even though we would like Madhuri to give us a new hairstyle once a while,she remains loyal to her iconic do-at the most opting for a blow dry over hot rollers.Her 90s rival Meenakshi Sheshadri also sported the same Goldilocks hairstyle with equal panache.

+Styling tips:Ensure that the hair is shampooed well and apply a moisturizing conditioner for styling your hair.However, don't blow-dry it because we need the hair to be damp.Blow dry scrunching hair as you go. If you have curly hair, don't scrunch, instead dry straight with a paddle brush. Add a defining cream to your curls to let some of the natural texture come through.

*FRINGES WITH BENEFITS:-

The fringe made another dramatic comeback a' la Sadhana in the late 80s and early 90s when Juhi Chawla among others sported a cute fringe that along with her chirpy laughter contributed to her celebrated loveliness.Everybody ooh-aah'd over Neelam's baby doll face and sweet voice,the slight fringe only increased her cuteness while a sexy fringe on Pooja Bhatt's babyish countenance only made the fringe more teenybopper than ever.

*THE "PERMS" OF BEING A WALLFLOWER:-

Already a sensation in the West,Bollywood was acquainted to the "perm" via Pooja Bhatt who debuted the frizzy perm in Daddy & Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin.Despite being bad news for hair, the frizzy look became a rage among girls and pretty much all her colleagues as evidenced by the ravishing Raveena Tandon & the late Divya Bharti who sported it with equal lan in their later films giving hairstyles in B-Town a distinctively edgier charm.

+Styling tips:Before perming your hair make sure your tresses are resistant to chemicals/residues that will curl up your hair.Avoid washing your tresses for 24 to 48 hours after the perming session and when you do wash your hair use a shampoo & conditioner that has a special formula for perm treated hair.Moisturizing your hair on a weekly basis using hot oil treatment,applying water based gel & styling mousse while avoiding using alcohol based hairsprays are some other tips.

*THE ELEGANCE OF THE BACK-COMBED BUN-

How beautiful do Ash and Kajol look in the above picture?And all of it because of gelled back combed hair with a tight bun at the back.How wonderfully it accentuates their Devi-sized peepers too-Ash's world famous sea green ones and Kajol's hypnotising hazel gaze.Simple,elegant yet scorching.Roarrr…..

+Styling tip:This style is more suitable for those with a rounder or oval face shape,& draws attention to the eyes & lips. It adds hold, plumps strands, and minimizes frizz.Adding a generous quantity of cream gel and shine and teaming it with a halter neck outfit just adds more elegance to the look.

*RAPUNZEL,RAPUNZEL WHERE ART THOU?:-

So popular was Karisma Kapoor's severely straightened hair look in Raja Hindustani, the actress decided to sport it in all her subsequent movies. PZ loves to play with her hair's length.But her sleek, straightened style teamed with a thick pair of glasses, a la Ali Macgraw is what caught every impressionable girl's fancy.

+Styling tip:Immediately after blow-drying the hair straight part it sideways.All that extra weight on the side,aided by plenty hair products will help the hair not turn frizzy by the end of the day.Use only a 1500-1800-watt hair dryer when styling the hair, since anything less powerful will certainly curl up your hair.Avoid all hair products that list water as one of the main five ingredients,since adding moisture to your hair after straightening it is guaranteed to make it curl up again.

*AND BOB'S YOUR UNCLE:-

It's summery. It's sexy. It's oh-so-comfortable.Urmila Matondkar chopped off her luxuriant mane to sport a chic bob, quite reminiscent of Jennifer Aniston's legendary "The Rachel" haircut and the others followed suit.Preity Zinta always game to change her hairstyle sported a cute bob in Koi Mil Gaya that suited her to the T,the leggy Miss Padukone snipped off her locks to sport a hip, layered, shoulder length number to wow-inducing effects in Karthik Calling Karthik,while Priyanka Chopra worked up the Victoria Beckham bob so well in Pyaar Impossible that no wonder everyone's been asking for it ever since at the beauty salon.

+Styling tip:Don't underestimate the versitality of the bob.You can either keep it sleek and simple,blunt cut, rounded or jagged bangs will add some pizzazz to your do instantly!You can also add curls to the bob for adding more volume or slick your bob back and let it take the back seat while you play up your eyes, lips and showcase your gorgeous bone structure.Your hair will fit right in once you're all done up!Partings and streaks can also be created in a bob cut to enhance your features.It is essential to brush your hair regularly and wash it with care,also conditioning your tresses at least twice a week enhances the bounce of the bob and keeps it looking fresh.

*BITTEN BY THE HAIR EXTENSION BUG:-

The Chamber of Secrets to our stars sporting perfectly tousled/highlighted/tinted hair in a jiffy?Just clip on a set of hair extensions,and he diddle dee.These advanced hair techniques change the hair drastically without looking unrealistic,explaining why heroines today don't need to dump a mound of tacky wigs on their hair. Take a look at Priyanka Chopra or Bipasha Basu, can hardly tell the difference, right?

+Styling Tip:It's a good idea to tease the hair above where you're going to clip the extension in, horizontally, to give it some volume.This will keep the extension from showing, since your voluminous hair will help blend it in better.If you have straight hair and want to wear a synthetic extension,add a little shine serum,to your hair before applying the faux strands.This will help your real hair match the sheen of the extensions, since they tend to have a silky-plastic look to them.

*HAIRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF COLOURFUL LOCKS:-

Piggy Chops with her hair dyed in a flaming red,sporting a sexy fringe along with her usual hotness,this time accompanied by a fluffy pink teddy bear looked even sultrier than her usual self in Love Story 2050.Kareena Kapoor and Katrina Kaif have never been great explorers in the hairy path,but from blonde to red, these girls have dyed their salon-like hair in shades of madness and marvel.Bebo even donned a shabby dumb blonde wig in Tashan,but since it turned out to be,er..not so much of a success as her size-zero,let's not mention it please?

+Styling tip:At least one week before coloring,pamper your hair with a deep-conditioning treatment and don't shampoo for a day or two before you color.Apply a thin layer of Vaseline along your hairline-from earlobe to earlobe and along your neckline-to prevent the dye from staining your skin. After dying, hold off on shampooing for three days and when you wash your hair,watch the temperature.

*THE KATNISS PHENOMENON:-

Everybody's favourite young heroine in everybody's favourite new series inspired something other than millions of obsessed fans and flowing bill receipts for the box office.The immensely adorable,impossibly talented,wildly young Jennifer Lawrence caught worldwide attention with her chic braid as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games.Here's how it's influenced our desi girls from Deepika to Asin not counting countless teen girls who sported the same braid when they went in droves to watch the film.

+Styling tip:Now I haven't really tried out this hairstyle.So I'm gonna put a link below to a video you can check out for perfecting the "Katniss braid".

*TANGLED,TOUSLED AND REBELLIOUS:-

Bollywood divas generally prefer keeping their hair poker straight as it concurs to the notion of a beautiful,dreamy heroine.The constantly evolving Kangana Ranaut changed that perception with her furiously wiry locks since her breakthrough film, Gangster and while nowhere as intense as hers,the gently tousled and twisted hairstyle demonstrated by Genelia D'Souza too had quite a few fans rushing for the nearest hair curling hot rod.

+Styling tip: Texture is key, so before you start styling, work in mousse or volumizing spray at the roots and a cream or pomade on the ends. A layered cut with a few uneven pieces is best for creating sexy tousles—it helps your hair fall into place naturally. Use a flat iron to touch up ends and any problem spots.

*THE BIG BANGS THEORY:-

Wispy, feathered or blunt, nothing looks smarter than layered hair teamed with glamorous bangs.And popular since Rani Mukerji's swanky turn as Tina in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai to its more playful versions sported by Lara Dutta and Prachi Desai, to name a few, layers are here to stay.

+Styling tip:The bang like it's cousin bob has tremendous versatility-blunt bangs,the Pice-Y Bang,side-swept bangs,rounded bangs,the long bang and many more,there are countless variations of sporting chic,uber cool,sexy bangs.To prevent greasy bangs condition your hair,but not your bangs,use a dry shampoo or powder to tame the oily factor,keep the complexion oil free and run a blow dryer over your bangs to absorb excess oil,topping off with a pretty head accessory.

*MARCEL WAVES:-

While Tinsletown's going ballistic with messy braids, stylishly unkempt updos and all kinds of fashionable hairstyles,these two singularly awesome ladies decided to sport old Hollywood Marcel Waves if not on screen at least off it.An immensely popular look way back during the 20s and 30s not many people have the guts or the panache or simply that ethereal vintage quality to wear marcel waves like a boss…and own it.But we'll give Anushka and Sameera points for trying at least.

+Styling tip:Like for the Katniss braid click on this video link to see how to make Marcel Waves.

*HAIR'S THE MAN:-
Seems sprucing up their hairstyles isn't so much of a woman's world after all.As time went even our most hunky Bollywood boys decided to ditch the same old back-combed polished hairstyle,and team it up with crazy wigs,manly coiffs,long locks,mohawks,crew cuts or going bald.Many of them have had an impressionable impact on cool dudes all over the country who gave the old mane a one and two,picked up a pair of cool sunglasses,a rad bike,going on to impress their girlfriends at any length.

• Dev Anand:He was the style icon of the 50s with his crisp dressing, flamboyant swagger and most importantly his puffed,swept back hairstyle feverishly followed by all the cool granddaddy's of the era.
• Shammi Kapoor:When he wasn't busy shaking his twinkle toes or sending women in feverish glee,Shammi Kapoor made the ducktail hairstyle with the fringe a big style statement with any guy who was even the C of 'cool'.Yeah,that's how awesome this guy was.
• Amitabh Bachchan: Ever wondered why everyone in your dad's wedding album resembles 'Vijay,' now you know who to blame.The Angry Young Man has always made an impression on the Indian psyche.No wonder then that his simple middle parted hair as Vijay in his films came across as effortlessly cool.
• Sanjay Dutt:While everybody from George Clooney and Andre Agassi to Superman and David Bowie wore mullets back in the 80s,Dutt's mullet in Saajan and Sadak was an instant hit among fans and hairdressers.Anybody who disagrees,obviously wasn't there.
• Rahul Roy:Two things made a lasting impression in Mahesh Bhatt's Aashiqui-Nadeem-Shravan's melodies and Rahul Roy's floppy mop.Setting the trend for a long black mane with by a clean shaven face,fans bombarded the hairstylists at the saloon for this look.
• Aamir Khan:Mr.Perfectionist is not only versatile in his choice of films but when it comes to hair fashion,Aamir can give most of the men or even women in Bollywood a run for their money.From his delectably chocolate-boyish mop top in QSQT,to his hugely popular spiky,gelled crew cut in Dil Chahta Hai,those cascading rough locks in Mangal Pandey and his funky buzz cut in Ghajini that caught on like a plague in every corner of India.
• John Abraham:The hunky John Abraham,no stranger to the sexy lists also has his name up high in that of Enviable Mops.The hunk made a dashing statement with his long, ironed hair look in Dhoom resulting in a serious population of John Abraham clones all over the country.
• Salman Khan:His fans love to ape Sallu Bhai's style.No wonder then that even his decidedly hideous hair do in Tere Naam became a rage across India,when on anyone else it would have looked a big hot mess.

So guys which one's your favourite look?Please leave a comment below on any suggestions you have.