Right hair, right now: Adhuna Bhabani on building an empire

Celebrity hairstylist Adhuna Bhabani chats about building an empire of salons, climbing Everest, and the art of parenting
Adhuna Bhabani
Adhuna Bhabani

Adhuna Bhabani loves a good challenge. Right from taming unruly curls to launching her own brand, to most recently climbing Mount Everest for her 50th birthday. The celebrity hairstylist and entrepreneur was here to open Chennai’s first BBlunt Mini salon last week, which is spread across a swanky 2,600 square feet down Khader Nawaz Khan Road.

Shining the spotlight on hair – especially curly – her chain also offers spa and make-up services. While boasting a staff that has been mentored by the likes of Rohan Jagtap — the man who created actor’s Prabhas’ look in the eagerly awaited trilingual Saaho, the brand co-founded with brother Osh Bhabani, has created a buzz in the country since launching their product line in collaboration with Godrej, two years back.

The interiors at BBlunt
The interiors at BBlunt

Talking about serving up meticulous standards that are not just high, but standardised across cities, Adhuna says that her world travels with her: “I am in my own bubble – everywhere I go it is the same colours, same walls, same everything!” From the rapid growth of her brand, which started in 2004, and now has a 100 people in its employ, 26 SKUs and will be 26-salon strong by the year-end — it’s evident that the approach has her going from strength to strength. Not that this level of quality comes easy, Chennai franchise owner Ganaraju Indumathi says, “My staff went through 600 hours of training over a 
period of two months – despite being experienced – before we opened our doors to the public.” The brand identity is evident in everything, right from the way your manicure is done to the decor and even the refreshments. Well, the cold coffee does taste extra delicious here, as the Irish Cream flavour seems exclusive to Chennai!

Hair conditioner

Tucking into French fries, Adhuna promises her diet is balanced otherwise and that she is an outdoorsy kind who loves horse riding and has her sights set on Machu Picchu next. Perhaps the one thing that trumps this effervescent UK-born’s pursuit of her various passions is the time she spends with her two daughters. Adhuna shares that she and ex-husband, actor Farhan Akhtar, work in perfect synchronisation to handle their parenting responsibilities, while the other is away — between sets and salons, flights and business meetings.

“We’re like a tag team,” says Adhuna, who launched her Bollywood career by styling Aamir Khan’s hair in Dil Chahta Hai. Although she is quick to point out, “It doesn’t matter if you’re working on Aamir Khan or a stay-at-home mom, each person has certain quirks.” Which is why a one-on-one with Adhuna always begins with: ‘What do you like about your hair and what don’t you like about your hair?’ However, she does quip that, “You will always know a BBlunt cut – by the way, it lasts, the way you live in the haircut between now to six to eight weeks!”

Haircuts from Rs 600.

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