Sapna Bhavnani

Born Against A self-styled hippie hairdresser who powers scissor moves at her kitsch strand salon Mad-O-Wot at Carter Road in Mumbai. Shatters mindsets through her boho chic persona. And lives life on her own terms. Wild child Sapna Bhavnani on herself... I've had no formal training as a hair stylist Just learnt as I moved along. I believe, either you have it or you don't. You're born with it, simply. I am a glorified barber I don't understand the hullabaloo and celeb-branding that hair stylists carry. How are we celebs? We're simply cutting hair. Not saving the world. And neither are we Mother Teresa. I say, Save the drama for your Mama I love what I do It's my calling. The mindset towards hair styling, make up and fashion accessorries is changing all the time. Men especially have become more conscious of their appearance and are better groomed I moved bag and baggage to the US when I was 18 Went bagpacking a la vagabond all across US of A for 14 years. Returned to India three years ago I am a double major in marketing with a minor in public speaking Though I wanted to go to a fashion school. Worked in a bank post my major, for three months. Realised it was not happening. Took to bartending, did kitschy interiors for a salon and a restaurant, penned poetry, bagpacked to Mexico...That was pure wanderlust I don't think my tattoos are my USP Never counted them as a matter of fact. And cannot understand the ballyhoo the media whips up regarding my body art either. Abroad, tattoos are really no big deal. 33 or 330. Here I get talked about more for sporting them, rather than for my snip prowess I believe packaging counts, 100% Appearances are very important, especially in a glamour related field. I attract a lot of Bollywood clients simply because of the way I look. And I know it I prefer to work with clients who trust me implicitly with their mane Like Sameera and Sushma Reddy, Dino Morea, Koena Mitra, John Abraham and Bipasha Basu. Mad-o-Wot is like a second home to these guys. I have certain favourite snip tools The thinning shears and the texturising scissors I am honest with my clients I don't encourage hair rebonding and turn away many clients who ask for it I have always been unpredicatable I was thundering around, riding a motorcyle when I was 14. I am a Sindhi and have been married for the past one and half years Believe it or not. I'm married to Sameer Malhotra. He used to star in soaps earlier on the telly. We are an unlikely couple. I'm a free spirited, die hard optimist. He appears sober but we connect. I don't booze. I hardly party My Mom parties more than I do. Yet the media has painted this wild image of me. I love Sindhi kadi and tuk. Though I can't cook. I speak broken Sindhi, but can understand the spoken language. Never made the effort to learn it, unfortunately. I love wearing black All the time. It's me. I'm purely passion driven Don't believe in planning. I take each moment as it comes. I value my personal space Like how. I don't tread on other people's toes because I don't want them treading on mine I want to be like my mother as I grow older We connect, we don't restrict each other. She's rocks. Is her own person. I have never seen her depressed, ever. I lost my Dad when I was 18. But my Mom has made her own life after that: she's busy with her friends, she can carry off wild purple and red streaks in her hair, do crazy stuff. I want to have a child now I'm ready. Would probably get her to my work everyday. And would give her space to grow as a person I'm a very impatient, dynamic self-starter I don't wait for things to happen. Go out and get it, is my belief I say, be yourself and rock Do your own thing. You live but once. (Sapna Bhavnani spoke with Shilpi Madan)