EXCLUSIVE: Bollywood Star Kareena Kapoor Talks Becoming Fable & Mane’s First Global Ambassador

Kareena Kapoor has a new gig.

The Bollywood star, best known for her roles in films such as “Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham,” “Jab We Met” and more, has joined Ayurvedic-inspired beauty brand Fable & Mane as its first global ambassador.

In the role, Kapoor will front the 2020-founded brand’s botanicals-powered hair care line, which ranges in price from $28 for its moisturizing volume spray to $36 for its hair masks and SahaScalp purifying scrub.

“Fable & Mane is very new-age, but at the same time, it’s so deeply rooted in its Indian heritage — which kind of reflects the way I am as a person,” said Kapoor, who is based in Mumbai and first discovered the brand’s hero, ashwagandha-infused HoliRoots Hair Oil in London, while browsing the aisles of Selfridges.

“It felt so refreshing to see an Asian family start an indie brand aiming to bring the concept of hair oiling — which is such an Indian thing — across the globe,” said Kapoor, whose mother would often conduct weekly hair-oiling sessions for Kapoor and her older sister, Karisma, using kitchen-concocted formulas.

“When I was in school my mom would constantly braid my hair and apply the oil — we’d use poppy seeds, almond oil — all kinds of natural ingredients. It’s kind of one of those old wives’ tales that has helped us, even now — I still do it twice a week — to have lovely hair.”

Fable & Mane cofounder and creative director Nikita Mehta shared a similar, ritualistic experience with hair oiling during her childhood, courtesy of her mother and grandmother, who passed the tradition down.

Years later, Mehta and her brother Akash, who is cofounder and chief executive officer of Fable & Mane, launched the brand in 2020 with the aim of bringing that experience — plus the efficacy of Ayurvedic ingredients like amla, fenugreek and hibiscus — to the rest of the world. Today, the brand sells at Sephora, Selfridges, Amazon, Nykaa, Cult Beauty and Douglas.

“Some of the best moments to come from our brand journey have simply been those of teaching people about India,” Akash said.

Adding Kapoor to the Fable & Mane camp is the brand’s next step in its aim to widen its reach while staying true to its roots.

“We just felt this energy, from years of seeing her on our screens, and this emotional connection where Kareena felt like family — and as a family-helmed brand, its important to us to protect that,” Akash said.

“She’s fearless, confident and recognized as a global, Indian beauty icon — it’s just a full-circle moment,” added Nikita.

Kapoor echoed the sentiment.

“Fable & Mane, for me, feels like an instant connection to home — and we want every consumer who buys this product to have a bit of that home feeling,” she said.