Hairstylist Darshan Yewalekar decodes Akshay Kumar, Veer Pahariya's look in Sky Force

A period film demands authenticity, and Sky Force is no different, says Darshan Yewalekar. The celebrity hairstylist was roped in to create the looks of Akshay Kumar, Veer Pahariya, and some supporting actors in the aerial actioner that offers a retelling of India’s airstrike on Pakistan during the 1965 war. Director duo Sandeep Kewlani and Abhishek Anil Kapur’s brief to him was simple—stay as true as possible to the era it is set in. “For inspiration, I went through material from the period, studied aviators and the style of clothing [popular then]. There were very few photographic references. Since we were depicting Air Force officers, we had to work within a few boundaries. So, I created a lookbook that never crossed those boundaries,” says Yewalekar.

Darshan Yewalekar

In Sky Force, Pahariya’s character is based on squadron leader Ajjamada Boppayya Devayya, who was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra. Yewalekar says they tried multiple looks before zeroing in on the moustache that makes him resemble the late war hero. “Veer made notes to register every detail that was discussed to bring his character to life. We did multiple changes before achieving the moustache style,” he recalls.

With the film playing out over 15 years, hair played a significant role in depicting the transformation of Kumar’s character. Yewalekar points out that the superstar flaunts a salt-and-pepper look in the second half. He says, “Akshay sir helped us achieve the look with his suggestions. The hair transition was a great idea. The film has multiple looks, but there were a bunch that needed special attention.”