'Wolf boy' becomes popular local celebrity in India

A determined 13-year-old boy named Lalit Patidar has earned the nickname 'wolf boy'' due to having the rare condition hypertrichosis, which causes his whole face to grow thick hair.

Lalit, who hails from the village of Nandleta in India, attends the local school at an eighth-grade equivalent level.

According to Lalit, students at first called him 'wolf' and other nicknames, but slowly they all became friends and now he can be seen playing sports and chatting with friends.

Lalit proudly says that he wants to become a police officer.

Lalit's father Bankat Patidar says that his son has been like this from birth. Typically, hypertrichosis is hereditary, but none of Lalit's relatives has the condition.

Lalit says he faces problem breathing due to the long hair on his face, as well as getting hair in his mouth while eating, meaning he regularly has to trim his face.

According to Bankat Patidar: "Local residents and relatives have long been accustomed to the hairy boy, but strangers and children sometimes get scared when seeing him for the first time."