New Delhi: Ranveer Singh's long-time hair designer Darshan Yewalekar has worked with the star to create  one-of-a-kind looks for films, ads, red carpets and magazine covers and this time the two came together for the wind tousled look that went well with free-spirited message of the latest Pepsi ad.  


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Darshan Says, "Yes, Pepsi was a very exciting opportunity for me. Styling hair for an ad is very different and you have to consider the brand, the ethos of the brand, the story being told in the ad, the general mood the director wants, and what part the star is playing in the messaging. So far, we have worked together on brands like 'Durex',  'Nivea' 'Colgate', and many others, and each time the ideation has been different. In the 'Nivea' ad, for instance, Ranveer has a very sharp, clean, 'Good boy; image whereas in the 'Make My Trip' ads with Alia Bhatt, he is always playing a character. For Pepsi, the look had to tie in with a youthful, spirited message."  


He says the energy of the vintage title song from 'Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander' inspired him and he says, "The song celebrates self-belief against all odds and a sense of freedom. It is about young people who want to speak their minds. It is very peppy and electrifying and as you see in the ad, Ranveer is constantly moving and literally charging towards life and giving it his all.  The hair hence could not be structured but had to convey that sense of freedom. So when Ranveer moves, his hair moves too. In fact it was one day prior to the shoot that the director  Navzar Eeranee, Ranveer and I decided that the hair should be open." 



This was the first time, says Darshan, that he was constantly behind the camera in every shot with a huge portable air blower and multiple standby batteries! He adds, "Ranveer's hair had to capture and convey the same energy that he was exuding. I had to make sure that I was not in the camera's range and yet was keeping pace with Ranveer as he danced and leapt and it was very challenging, technically speaking. I did stumble once but thankfully, it was a minor sprain so the doctor just taped my ankle and I kept working.  I think every bit of my 20 years of experience came handy and  I was able to position myself correctly.  After every take, I also had to blow dry Ranveer's hair to ensure that it was not tangled and every strand was apart. In the end, we were able to live up to Pepsi's slogan, “Rise up!"  The audience response seems to think that too! "