Cut Out Cruelty With Sapna

Sapna Bhavnani leads a colourful life. And it's not just because the tattooed trendsetter has more ink than your school's library! Voted the "Most Tattooed Mumbaikar" by Time Out magazine, Sapna is – first and foremost – Mumbai's hairstylist to the stars. As the owner of the hot Mad-O-Wot hair salon, Sapna routinely clips the coifs of a bevy of Bollywood celebrities, including John Abraham, Hrithik Roshan, Sanjay Dutt, Bipasha Basu, Kareena Kapoor, Koena Mitra and Yana Gupta. Besides being one of the most sought-after stylists around, Sapna also pens a popular weekly column for the Mumbai Mirror and starred in the hit comedy film Pyaar Ke Side Effects. From her body art to her fashion sense to her thoughts on how animals should be treated, Sapna is always on the cutting edge. She recently chatted with us:

You went to HR College of Commerce?

Yes. Well, I only went to HR College of Commerce for two years and then moved to America for 14 years, where I studied in Los Angeles. When I was in LA, I worked with [animal] rescue groups.

When did you move back to India?

I actually moved back here three years ago. I used to star in music videos in LA … and when I moved here, I decided I would pursue my other favourite passion, which was cutting hair. So I got trained in cutting hair, and then I worked at a salon for a year and a half. I got pretty bored of the salon environment. I even worked on a movie set, but I didn't like it. I finally decided to do something at my own place, where I would just have fun every day.

We heard you have around 50 or 60 tattoos.

Yeah, I can't even count them anymore, because now they're becoming one big tattoo. You see, I am in the process of tattooing my whole arm. So I guess then it would just become one, but if I were to count them individually, then yes, it would be like 50-something.

You obviously have a fashion philosophy which goes beyond just looking good. What is your fashion philosophy? What are the tattoos all about?

I think that all designers get their inspiration from the street. I think it is wrong to pay more for fashion, especially since it changes all the time. I wear anything and everything. I don't believe in night-time/daytime fashion. I wear whatever I am in the mood for, so if it is gold sequence in the daytime while I am cutting hair, so be it. And it's also how you carry it off. If you feel confident and think you can rock it, then rock it!

You come across as a person who is against oppression of any kind. What do you think about animals who are kept in cages in zoos for their entire lives, who cannot engage in any of their natural activities?

Ah! I definitely think that is wrong because it is unnatural to be caged for life. I think everyone should have freedom, and unfortunately, animals in zoos aren't given freedom.

Would you like to share any interesting stories involving your animal friends?

My own dogs are all from the shelter. I had nine cats at one point, who were all from shelters, all neutered or spayed. I think every moment with them is so much fun. In America, I used to go on road trips with my dogs every summer. The pet culture over there is so huge – like, there are motels that are specifically geared for your animals and there are restaurants that allow you to take your dog inside. So there was never a place where I wanted to go but couldn't because I had pets. The best road trip that I ever took was with my dogs Elvis and Bingo and my cat, Purple. I remember it was really late and I was getting sleepy from driving, so I thought, "I will just spend the night here". Only truckers hung out there. I was the only girl. I fell asleep, and all of a sudden, I heard Bingo going crazy barking. I woke up and saw a man walking towards my car. Bingo just sensed that there might be danger. The guy came closer and closer to my car. I was kind of scared, so I told the guy, "Dude, you come over here and my dog's going to kill you", and he's like, "Ma'am, I just wanted to tell you that you have a flat tire". It was quite embarrassing!

Do you think it's important that people spay or neuter their dogs?

It's very important. The last thing we need is more strays on the street. And spaying/neutering is healthier for the dogs.

I am also against breeding animals. It would be beautiful if people would adopt strays. When people see Missy Senior and Missy Junior, they are like, "What breed is that?" And when I tell them they are [mutts], they are surprised. They are so beautiful!

What do you think about circuses that use animals?

I actually went to an Indian circus just to check out how the animals are treated, and when I walked in, it was so depressing. I saw malnourished elephants. Just looking at the way they were being treated was really frustrating. This was the case with all the animals, so I definitely think it is wrong. It's basically centuries of ignorance that we need to break through. Persistence is the only way that you are going to get there.

What would you like to say to young people about animal protection?

[I]f you are not very responsible, then please don't adopt an animal, because that is the worst thing you could do. Please don't go to a breeder and get these big dogs just because you think it is cool. An animal is a responsibility and commitment which you should be prepared to take up. If you're ready for an animal, adopt a stray.