The whole country has been echoing his name for days. And now, men who have always wanted a hatke se moustache, are crowding hair salons, asking for the style statement IAF wing commander Abhinandan Varthaman has unknowingly set. This version of a gunslinger moustache has tidier sideburns, with the moustache ending on the cheek.

Symmetry is key, as is the style's upkeep, we learn from Subir Malik, founder and pianist of rock band Parikrama. He has had his moustache for 28 years - as long as his band. Malik feels it brings out the rocker in him. "This style was quite common in the '60s and '70s, and I was inspired by Jon Lord from Deep Purple, especially since I also looked up to his technique. Though I have never given my moustache any extra care, turning 50 means I have to shave thrice a week. Otherwise there's a white stubble, which doesn't look great."