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Tress passes - This is not a hairy tale. While the protagonists do sport long hair, they don’t have any scary story to say about their mane. Theirs is the story of acceptance, of overcoming mindsets, not that of others’ but of their own. There are others too in the corporate world of Oman who have defied stereotypes and yet done very well for themselves, but for this time the spotlight is trained on the creative duo from NPA. Meet Jayant Jayakrishnan, creative director, copy (facing page) and Mansoor Tahir, art director (above).

Two men, one organisation and one passion – long hair. One came to Oman from India ten years ago, the other from Pakistan three years later. Apart from being in the advertising field they had another thing in common when they first landed in the sultanate. In a bid to fit in with the image of Oman and its corporate culture they had formed both cut their hair short before boarding the flight.

“Initially I conformed. Though I have always had long hair, I chopped it off before coming here. I actually wore ties in the first few months,” reminisces Jayakrishnan, shaking his head as if in disbelief. By the end of his first year in Oman Jayakrishnan was himself once again. "It wasn't a conscious decision or a statement. The hair just grew and the ties disappeared soon afterwards."

Jayakrishnan was told that ties were part of the corporate culture in Oman, which he says made him assume that his long hair won't be acceptable. "Personally, I feel that long hair is quite easily accepted. Perhaps it’s because long beards are accepted and long hair sort of compensates in its own way." While Jaya-krishnan has been called ‘guru’, which he says must be more due to his white hair than the length, Tahir is likened to a popular Hindi film star from India. "My long hair does get me compliments here. A lot of Omanis are Hindi film enthusiasts and Sanjay Dutt fans. Many of them call me Sanju baba fondly."

As for Tahir, he cut his hair short before coming as he thought he wouldn't get a visa if he had long hair. "But soon after I came my hair started falling. I started growing it thinking most probably a year down the line I would not be left with any hair to grow. I still remember the panic and thinking, 'Oh my god this is my last chance do this'." He star-ted keeping long hair while in college. "That was to look different. But then I started liking it. Since then I've kept long hair even though the length has varied."

Has there been any instance when someone was taken aback because he didn't expect a senior corporate person to sport long hair? Both Jayakrishnan and Tahir say there has not been anything out of the ordinary because of long hair as far as work goes. "Kids sometimes step back and stare curiously, especially when I had a ponytail. And of course people tend to ask you what's your job – the question they are really asking is what kind of job lets you wear your hair this long?" laughs Jayakrishnan. But Tahir has a story here. "There have been times when a taxi had pulled up as I walked by the road with my ponytail and backpack as the driver mistook me for a female tourist. I quite enjoy the shocked looks I get when I turn around."

While Jayakrishnan no longer sports his ponytail that had become his trademark over the last year or so, Tahir is not too sure about the future of his either. Jayakrishnan had to cut his due to health reasons but Tahir was just about to enter the wedlock. Who knows what lies ahead?
Letha Jose