Two weeks ago, Kirti Kulhari surprised her followers with a video showing off her super short haircut. “I work in an industry where being a #heroine comes with its own set of restrictions. Long hair or at least shoulder length hair is an unsaid mandate. Here I am, almost 15 years later, in the industry, #doingmything (sic),” she wrote
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; May 23, 2023)

Ditching her long locks, Kirti Kulhari debuted a short hairdo recently in a video on social media that grabbed a lot of eyeballs. Talking to us about what inspired the new look, the Pink actress tells us, “I wanted to start afresh and do something extreme. And no, this hairdo is not for a film, but a personal choice.”

‘I GREW UP WITH A LOT OF SELF-DOUBT AND LOW SELF-ESTEEM ISSUES’
Elaborating on where this feeling really stems from, the Four More Shots Please! actress says, “It comes from the fact that I am comfortable with who I am now. I grew up with a lot of self-doubt and low self-esteem issues. ”

Kirti says, “When you aren’t comfortable in your skin because you hear so many opinions, you are always trying to get validation from others around you. Over the last few years, my self esteem has gone up and I have become confident about who I am. I think I have just started operating a lot from a space of freedom and not from fear. This hairdo is just an extension of that and a representation of the freedom I feel as a person now.”

‘LIVING YOUR LIFE THE WAY YOU WANT TO – THAT’S REAL FREEDOM’
Kirti says that she was aware of the fact that traditionally, long hair is considered a symbol of beauty for Indian women and that as an actress she could be required to wear a long hairdo for most parts. “It’s almost like a panga I took. I just wanted to make a point that you can be anybody from any field, and if you can live your life the way you want to there’s no greater satisfaction than that. That’s real freedom. I think wanting to experience that freedom is something that really encouraged me to go ahead and do this,” she explains

‘I AM HAPPY THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE CALLED ME BRAVE AFTER SEEING MY POST’
Not the one to follow norms in the choices she makes in her personal and professional life, she tells us, “I haven’t followed any norms as a heroine, too. So, the whole idea is to inspire others to find their own path. I am happy that a lot of people have called me brave after seeing my post online. So, do I feel more beautiful now with my short hair? I absolutely do, because the decision to do it and be okay with everything that follows has empowered me. Feeling empowered is the most beautiful feeling in the world. In the past, too, I have faced repercussions of living my life the way I want to, but that’s how I have been.”