Celebrity hairstylist Aalim Hakim sets rule against stars with ill-mannered managers

Celebrity hairstylist Aalim Hakim has announced a major professional decision involving actors and their teams. His statement has sparked fresh conversation about respect behind the scenes in the film industry.

In Short

• Hakim said backstage artists invest time, talent and energy in every look
• He urged people not to dismiss hairdressers, stylists, assistants as 'just staff'
• The hairstylist spoke of long hours, missed festivals and lost family time

Celebrity hairstylist Aalim Hakim has announced he and his team will no longer work with actors whose managers or teams mistreat creative professionals and crew members. In a strongly-worded Instagram post shared on May 15, Hakim called for greater respect for the people working behind the scenes in films, photo shoots, red carpet appearances and public events.

Without naming any particular actor or management team, Hakim said disrespectful behaviour towards hairstylists, makeup artists, assistants and crew members had become difficult to ignore. He added that authority does not give anyone the right to humiliate or demean creative workers, especially over issues that may not even be their fault.

What did Aalim Hakim say in his post?

In the post, Hakim urged people to “respect the artists behind the star” and said creative professionals should never be dismissed as “just staff”. He highlighted the effort that goes into creating celebrity looks for films, public appearances and campaigns.

Take a look at the post here:

“Behind every public appearance, every red carpet moment, every film look, every photoshoot, every close-up...there are creative people silently giving their heart, their time, their talent, and their energy to make someone shine,” he wrote.

Hakim also spoke about the long working hours and personal sacrifices made by crew members, saying many leave home before sunrise, spend hours on set and miss important family occasions to ensure actors are camera-ready.

The hairstylist further said he had witnessed managers and representatives behaving rudely with crew members and taking out their frustration on people working behind the scenes.

According to Hakim, such behaviour can also affect an actor’s public image, even if they are unaware of what is happening around them.

“A truly powerful star never needs people around them who insult others to prove importance,” he wrote.

He added that his team had decided to stop associating professionally with actors whose teams disrespect or mistreat creative professionals.

Who is Aalim Hakim?

Aalim Hakim is the director of Hakim’s Aalim – Salon Beauty Lifestyle, and is one of the best-known celebrity hairstylists in the film industry. In recent years, he has worked on films including Animal, Chhaava, Jailer, Sanju and Kabir Singh.

Through his latest statement, Hakim stressed that the people working behind a star’s public image deserve dignity, kindness and respect.

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