INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption
The fighter pilot has become a household name in India
Indian
fighter pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, who was recently released by Pakistan, has become a national figure, inspiring art, adverts and perhaps
even a trend in facial hair fashion
His distinctive handlebar moustache has become so popular that many Indian men want to sport one just like it.The pilot became a national
hero within hours of his capture after Pakistani forces shot down his fighter jet
He returned home to a rousing welcome on Friday
The pilot has since gone viral on social media with many Indians hailing his facial hair as a sign of valour
Amul, the country's most popular dairy brand which creates adverts based on social trends, made a video celebrating the fighter pilot's
Handlebar-style moustaches are not uncommon in India, where they were once identified with flamboyant Bollywood villains, imperious military
and police officers and even a notorious smuggler
But the reputation of the handlebar moustache appears to have been rescued over the past few days as it became synonymous with courage and
Image caption
Tejas Chowdhary wanted an "Abhinandan" moustache
At least one hair salon in the southern
city of Bangalore offered free haircuts and moustache-styling on Monday to anyone who wanted too look like the fighter pilot
"Abhinandan has done so much for our country
I felt that I should try and make every face look like his," Nanesh Thakur, the salon owner, told TheIndianSubcontinent Hindi's Imran
To his disappointment - or maybe relief - only three men qualified for the "Abhinandan" moustache
Tejas Chowdhary, who was one of the lucky ones, said he was doing it for the wing commander, adding: "He has done so much for our country,
can't I do this much" Image caption
The salon owner said he wanted to do his bit for the country
Image
copyrightReutersImage caption
The pilot was handed back to India on Friday
Naveen Kumar, an ambulance
driver whose moustache also made the cut, said: "Abhinandan is a real hero, so I am getting a moustache like his."Several others were
interested in the same look but, Mr Tahkur says, their moustaches were not long enough to be fashioned into handlebars - a style that is
also known as "gunslinger"
Instead, most men opted for a free crew cut, which is typical of military officers
Elsewhere across the country, some people tweeted photos of themselves sporting the moustache, saying they had been inspired by Wing
Commander Abhinandan.Most Indians first saw the pilot on 27 February when Pakistan's information ministry released - and later deleted - a
video showing him blindfolded and his face bloodied
In a later video he is seen sipping tea from a cup
He is not blindfolded and appears to have been cleaned up
He gives his name, military rank and says he is from "down south", but refuses to share any details about his mission, adding: "I'm not
supposed to tell you that."Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption
Wing Cdr Abhinandan's return was celebrated across
India
The clip went viral with many praising him for his calm demeanour and courage
Soon, the hashtag #BringBackAbhinandan was trending and Twitter was flooded with prayers for his safe return
Crowds waving the Indian flag thronged the Wagah border in Punjab state, where he was handed over to Indian officials on Friday
News of his return was greeted with fireworks in several Indian cities, including the capital Delhi
