The party is on...

Same act

For all those, who thought that Season 4 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) wouldn’t have fashion shows or late night parties after last year’s fiasco, here is the latest - the party is on.

The parties are taking place, only this time it is optional for the players to attend them. With glamour being an integral part of the IPL, it’s no surprise that despite all the noises, the organisers are going ahead with them.

This time, around 14 designers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are part of the shows that will be held across the various IPL venues in the country. Fashion guru Prasad Bidapa, who is organising the events in the City, says that there will be roughly seven shows in Bangalore alone.

“We started off with Manoviraj Khosla and we will soon showcase the latest lines from designers like Rizwan Beyg from Pakistan, Bibi Russel from Bangladesh and Dimuthi from Sri Lanka,” he adds. But weren’t the last season’s fashion shows and parties blamed for distracting players? “There were issues with some players partying too hard, but there are trying to control that this time. Only a select audience has been invited and the players will come in only for a while  – that’s if they want to and then leave,” explains Prasad.

But Bangaloreans, who went to last year’s after parties, cannot forget the chaos and confusion that were part of the event. From the unmanageable crowd outside constantly clicking pictures of players coming to the party, people trying to squeeze inside the hall to security guards (including the owner of the security agency – Ronit Roy, the actor) standing on tables to control the crowd – the sights are unforgettable.

“What amazed us was, despite being on the guest list, we were not allowed inside because of the unruly crowd. Then we felt that it was not worth it and left,” says Abrar, a professional.

Yet people haven’t had enough of such tamashas. There are still those who wouldn’t mind being a part of it again. What makes these parties so different from any other regular party is the fact one gets to be a part of the celebrations with cricketers and also enjoy the glamourous part of the IPL. “Cricketers, celebrities and free booze attract people to these parties. This is the only party that continues even after the match gets over,” says Rakesh, who owns a boutique in Koramangala.

Hifzur Rahman, a professional, says that these parties aren’t any different from regular ‘Page 3’ parties. “I don’t see why there is such a hype around them because I have been to them and you see the same people everywhere. Hopefully, this year things are more organised,” he adds.