Starlit sky, the beautiful moon beaming through the glistening leaves of a palm tree, a candle-lit dinner set against this settling backdrop, your beloved by your side... love sparks are flying in full gusto. As you feel the love arrows stinging you sweetly, do care to look behind. You may be in for a big surprise. Cupid in khakis! No, its a cop towering authoritatively over you, delivering a ‘string of pearls’.
This year’s Valentine’s Day in Bangalore comes with an air of threat for many. Amidst the itching 11.30 pm party deadline, the uncertain ban on dancing at night clubs and chancy police raids at pubs and discotheques, the City is anxious about facing fury on this day of romance. This year, most clubs in the City have not organised any Valentine bash to avoid any situation that may put their workspace into jeopardy. Only two-odd bashes are taking place in Bangalore and that too with painstaking preparation.
Event manager Rafiushan Pasha is organising one such bash at a popular club in the City. He says, “Last year, there were seven to eight big Valentine bashes in Bangalore. This year, we have only one or two big events and another in Mysore. It’s a very tough time for all club owners and DJs. Thanks to the uncertain dancing ban, the entire planning stage has been slow. But we are prepared for both. We are restricting to mellow songs. So, House, Electro, Progressive, relaxing lounge music comprise the playlist. To keep the people engaged, we have even tarot readers, games and gift vouchers for revellers.”
But how tight is the security for this controversial day? Rafi says, “Cops are our number one priority. They randomly barge into the club to simply find out what’s happening. The music will stop playing at 11.20 pm itself. There will be two extra bouncers on duty. Cops have not yet intervened but we cannot say anything about the final day. We are well-prepared and abiding by all the rules and restrictions.”
DJ T T is playing at this club and is prepared too. Ask him about the playlist and he sighs, “It’s completely different from last year. I don’t have any numbers that will get the people up on their feet. ‘Axwell’ is out of my list. I will play Classic Contemporary House. I will step up the tempo at the end. Valentine falling on a weekday was already such a depressor and these bans have only made it worse.”
DJ Hussain feels better off playing in Kolkata this February 14. Calling the dancing ban as Karnataka government’s New Year gift for Bangalore, says DJ Hussain, “The last three years in Bangalore have been rocking. But the dancing ban has killed the City’s spirit. In Kolkata, I can comfortably play music till 5 am and it will be rocking!”
Most DJs in Bangalore were hard to convince to play in Bangalore this Valentine. “Who wants to be arrested? Moreover, the music scene has to be completely worked upon,” says DJ T T.
Interestingly, Mysore appears to have become the new hot destination for revellers. DJ Hussain says, “Parties go on till 1.30 am in Mysore. The partying scene is picking up very well there. I advise people to drive down to Mysore on February 14.”
Reiterating his viewpoint, a reputed night club owner says, “Mysore is emerging as a great destination for party-goers. I really feel like shutting down and shifting base to Mysore. Mumbai openly extended their party deadline to 3.30 am between December 24 and January 1. And the parties went on comfortably till 5 am. Bangalore got an extension of 1.30 am only on January 31. And now this dancing ban has put all our livelihoods at stake. I want to apologise to all City revellers. Please don’t get us wrong. We are as helpless as you are.”
RJ Rohit Barker attributes the increasing road rage and drunken driving to the entertainment ban. Explains he, “Human beings are social animals. Socialising runs in our DNA. Positive socialising like dancing and singing is extremely important.
The archaic bans have forcefully turned it into negative energy. Thus, you have people venting it out in the form of road rage and drunken driving. Everything is dead and dark. Like this New Year, Valentine’s Day too will be a lot more sedate.”
On one hand, a global city thriving on corporate culture, influx of expatriates and a vibrant youth population and on the other hand, the stringent entertainment ban - Bangalore is truly on the crossroads.
