Confessions of a Male Pedicurist

“I follow a strict rule—I will only massage till the calf. Aaj ki koi bharosa nahin… I politely decline if they ask me to go higher than the calves.”

Some women get tickled very easily. How are you expected to give a pedicure to a woman who keeps squirming every time you touch her feet?

There are three categories of women who come for a pedicure: those who want relief from pain, those who want beautiful feet and chaalu clients who want to have some fun. We can spot them the moment they sit on the chair. We do not give them a good pedicure otherwise they will keep coming back.

I follow a strict personal rule—I will only massage till the calf. Aaj ki aurat ka koi bharosa nahin, kuchch ilzaam lagaye toh izzat ka waat lagega. I politely decline if they ask me to go higher than the calves.

Few Indian women tip. Many try to wring out every last rupee for the service they have paid for. There is this lady from Malabar Hill who carries a small bundle of Rs 10 notes. She hands out one note each, as if she’s doling out a fortune to us. We are not crazy about getting tips but Rs 10 is really cheap at the end of an hour-long foot massage.

I am married with two college-going daughters. I taught my wife all about foot massages and reflexology. She also attended courses on reflexology and runs a salon now. Whenever my salon adopts something new, I teach my wife so that she can use it for her clients.

My wife has imposed two conditions on me—I will not take on private clients or work at her salon. She’s probably not comfortable with it becoming known that her husband gets paid for massaging women’s feet. My daughters tell their friends I am a reflexology expert.

My wife envies my hands as they are softer than hers. I spray musk fragrance on my hands before I go to sleep to remove the smell of fragrant creams. She is happy that at least during the night I smell like a man.

What started out as a mere job has now become an art for me. I feel like a doctor because I am helping so many women get relief from leg pain. I have done courses in massages. I am the most sought-after pedicurist in my salon. Pedicure is a science. It is not just about cleaning feet and painting nails.

(He has been a pedicurist at a high-end salon in Mumbai for two decades)

As told to Haima Deshpande

pedicurist