The beardiest of em all

‘Men who got a Beard live colourful lives’: reads a post on the Instagram profile of Dhanil Kumar. The 27-year-old hasn’t been so much in love with anything and he takes care of his seven-and-a-half-inch-long beard with great affection. However, when he walked into the international Beard Off contest in the UAE, never had he imagined that he would emerge the winner by beating around 50 contestants from all over the world.  “I was the only Indian participant. After the first two rounds, they announced the top 5 contestants and I was surprised to find my name on the list,” says Dhanil, who looks after his family business in Dubai while pursuing his modeling passion. Born and brought up in Dubai, this automobile engineering graduate has his roots in Neeleshwaram, Kasaragod, and is currently on a vacation in Kerala.  

An active blogger with an Instagram following of over 22,000, Dhanil came to know about Beard Off organised by British-run Lucky Voice Club in Dubai, through his friends. Having modeled for various international clothing brands, the Beard Off photo shoot was a cakewalk for him. The contest was based on the length, thickness and style of the beard and the length of the moustache; the opponents were quite strong. “In the last round of on-stage interview, I was pitched opposite nationals from the US, Germany, Norway and Saudi Arabia. The man from New York gave me a tough fight with his rugged beard with white patches. But luckily, it was my answer that impressed the judges,” he says. So, what was the question they asked? Chuckling, Dhanil reveals, “It was, what would I do if the girl I married asked me to get rid of my beard.” He didn’t have to think twice before replying ‘I’d say I won’t’, thus winning the title and a year-long contract with a top modeling agency along with free beard grooming for a year at a high-end salon there.

Dhanil (right) with the Beard Off contestant from New York.

Dhanil had been growing his beard since 2015, long before the trend of no-shave November became popular among Malayalis. His well-groomed beard caught the attention of his friends, who encouraged him. What about his family? Laughing, he says, “Achan was chill, but Amma was a bit worried about what people would say. After I won the title, she is somewhat okay with it. My sister is someone who is least interested in ornaments or makeup. It’s me who sports earring, nose pin, chain and goes to the parlour and makes up for it. Believe me, maintaining a beard costs a bomb!” Anyone can grow a beard but maintaining it requires patience and effort, feels Dhanil.

“Every week, I take oil, wax, cream and balm treatment for my beard. Since it is very hot in Dubai, every two days, I trim the split ends. In Kerala, I have seen many people growing beards, but they lack awareness on grooming,” he opines. His unique hairstyle too was designed to complement the beard. Bearded men are in much demand in the modeling world and so is Dhanil.  “I have got offers from international clothing and beard oil brands. The fashion, modeling industry is currently very beard-friendly, unlike Kerala,” says the youngster, whose parents P.K. Nair and Dharani hail from Kasaragod. His experiences in Kerala have been very nightmarish. “Anywhere else in the world, beards are welcomed with admiration and respect. But here, even though it is my homeland, people look down upon beards and piercings and term us ‘freakans’ or ‘ganja guy’. Last time, when I accompanied my dad to a hospital, I was caught by the police from the hospital premises for sporting a beard,” he laughs. Now that he owns one of the most beautiful beards in the world, Dhanil could try his luck in movies too. He says, “With so many people bombarding me with selfies and congratulatory messages every day, I already feel like a celebrity!”