Profession: Salon Owner
Where: Behind Mettuguda bus stop
Age: 54 years
S. Prabhakar was around 10 years old when he first held a razor in his hand. As a young boy he would be allowed to do small jobs in the salon run by his brother. Incidentally, Prabhakar’s brother is also his guru. After dropping out from school Prabhakar would spend time in his brother’s salon, looking at him keenly as he snipped and snapped. “The continuous snipping sound of the scissors fascinated me and I asked my brother if I could learn. My brother agreed to teach me without any fuss as that would help him get some assistance.”
Prabhakar learnt and worked with his brother until he perfected the tricks of the trade. And when he was good enough to run the show on his own, his brother suggested that he started his own business.
“I came to Mettuguda when I was 20 years old and set up the salon, which is 30 years old now. I felt very good working and catering to all residents here. From children to boys to elders, everyone would come to me and I would cut their hair or shave the beard as per the requests,” says Prabhakar who is close to 55 years now.
Prabahkar’s crew cut was very famous with the boys of Mettuguda when Tom Cruise raided the screen in Top Gun . “They would bring photos and ask me to do the style. Yeh style ko actually hum log army cut bolte hain .”
What about assistants for himself? I hired people but they don’t stay for long as they want to try better opportunities. I don’t discourage them, I am what I am because of my brother’s encouragement so I would want the boys who learn work from me to run their own show. Now I am all alone in the shop and I am happy managing it on my own.
Are hair stylists a threat to him? “I don’t look at them as a threat, their clientele is defined and so is mine.” Prabahkar’s sons are on different pursuits.
