Thiruvananthapuram: Barber’s scissors have become a tool of transformation for a group of prisoners in Kerala. Without causing harm, they now wield their craft with care and precision, carving a path to survival through repentance.

For inmates serving their sentences, a new opportunity awaits outside prison walls—‘Freedom Looks’, a salon run by the Kerala Jail Department. The entry is exclusively for men and operates in an air-conditioned setting, where visitors can listen to music, read newspapers, and enjoy grooming services. Only prisoners with good conduct are chosen to work here. These men, once convicted, are now in a state of mind where they would not harm even an ant.

The Freedom Looks Gents Parlour was launched in 2019. Every morning at 8 a.m., under police escort, inmates from Poojappura Central Jail arrive at the salon dressed in professional attire. They offer a full range of services, including haircuts, colouring, facials, oil massage, hair wash and blow-dry, clean-ups, and more. The parlour remains open until 7 p.m.

The salon charges ₹70 for a regular haircut and up to ₹800 for a gold facial. Daily revenue ranges between ₹3,000 and ₹4,000, and in the last financial year alone, the establishment made a profit of ₹8 lakh.

Among the barbers is an Assamese prisoner who has learnt Malayalam by reading newspapers and magazines. Customers can also access Mathrubhumi’s newspaper, weekly, Star & Style, and Yathra for reading while at the salon.

22 inmates have completed a three-month beauty course at the Women’s Polytechnic College in Thiruvananthapuram.

Inaugurated in 2019 by former DGP Rishiraj Singh and former ADGP R. Sreelekha, the salon is located just outside the Poojappura Central Jail compound, along the roadside. Affordable rates have attracted a steady stream of customers seeking a makeover.

(As per instructions from the authorities, due to confidentiality, the names of the inmates involved are not mentioned.)