“Hair” documentary explores the concept of hair for Sikhs, other communities

This 18-minute documentary film vividly conveys that ‘kes’ or hair should not be considered just from the context of identity, religion and beauty, it needs to be considered from a cross-cultural prospective also.

The interesting and engaging documentary shows a Sikh youth-Sonny Singh, a trichotillomaniac woman and an African-American woman. The film unfolds the concept of hair seen from different cultural perspectives.

The documentary tries to explore the logic behind the concept of unshorn hair in Sikhism and also speaks about the discrimination faced by Sikhs in today’s world.

Similarly, the film depicts the agony of an average African-American woman, who goes in for chemical straightening of her hair to get rid of her negative complex about hair. Later, it shows a woman who is proud of the natural beauty of her hair.

The documentary also portrays a woman who is suffering from trichotillomania, a disorder in which the sufferer pulls out his or her hair out of compulsion.

The thought-provoking documentary by Will Elvis, a student of NYU, deserves kudos for the effort.