'Kesari Chapter 2' hair designer Darshan Yewalekar reflects on the challenges of a period movie

Yewalekar shared that period films always bring their own set of challenges, however they’re deeply fulfilling. “I feel the characters truly belonged to the era depicted in the film," he said.

Yewalekar revealed that among the most demanding looks he had to grapple with in "Kesari Chapter 2" was that of General Dyer. “We had a visual reference for him, but the actor came in as a blank canvas. We had to build everything—the wig, the moustache—from scratch. He was based in London and had barely any time in India, so I flew there for the look test. We had to get the fit right in one go because there wouldn’t be time for adjustments later. When Karan (Johar) and I did the test in London, we got most of it right and just had to tweak a few details. It was worth the effort. That character needed to make an impression,” shared the celebrity hair designer.

He appreciated how Karan Johar involved him in the proceedings throughout and revealed, “He gave equal attention to every actor, be it Akshay Kumar, R Madhavan, Ananya Panday, Simon Paisley or Regina Cassandra. For Madhavan Sir, we did three look tests just to finalise the beard colour. With Ananya, I was on-site during her test, and her team executed the design brilliantly. Karan even flew me to the sets at times to ensure everything was working as planned. That kind of support from a director means a lot.”

Reflecting on his path, Yewalekar shared, “After years with D Barbershop and a decade working with Ranveer Singh, this kind of ensemble work feels like a natural next step, creating looks that are grounded in character and history. And I enjoy every part of it.”

"Kesari Chapter 2" was Darshan’s second film with Akshay this year, after "Sky Force". “Working with Akshay Sir has been a humbling experience. Despite his seniority, he always makes you feel at ease, gives you time, listens openly to ideas, and offers gentle feedback. His humility, dedication, and punctuality stand out, making him truly inspiring to collaborate with. I look forward to working with him again on future projects, including one that’s currently under wraps, about which I cannot reveal more details right now,” he concluded.