It's no 'flash' in the pan!

The next time you head out shopping and someone next to you suddenly breaks into a jig or freezes, don’t fret as chances are that it’s just a flash mob.

The latest publicity gimmick, that has created a buzz among the masses, has been a tried-and-tested formula abroad but in India, it is a new concept altogether.

It started at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus where close to 200 people began dancing to Rang De Basanti and ended up getting everyone’s attention on You Tube. Now the concept is slowly gathering pace in all other parts of the country including Bangalore. While some do it to spread awareness about a particular social cause or to promote a product, there are others who do it just for fun.

So what is a flash mob? It’s basically a large group of people meeting in a public place for a purpose of doing an unusual or entertaining activity for a short duration. It attracts varied age groups and the surprise element attached to the entire gig makes it stand out.

Vikram, who is part of a theatre group called ‘Barking Dogs’, recently organised two flash mobs in the City. “We had done them to raise awareness on sexual harassment and to promote the ‘Slut Walk’. I feel this concept is a great way to get the message across to the masses and people can really relate to the element of surprise,” he adds.

It is this element of surprise that is the real highlight of this trend. Soumya, a student, first saw a flash mob when she visited New York. “All of a sudden, people started dancing in a synchronised manner and I had no idea what was happening. Later, someone told me that it was a flash mob. To know that it is catching on in India is interesting,” she adds. 

Bhaskar, a student who is doing his masters in the US and is currently vacationing out here, says that a flash mob should not have any purpose at all. “It’s just a momentary thing where people come together and do a dance or freeze for a while and then disperse as if nothing happened.

In India, people are yet to warm up to the idea because they tend to attach a purpose behind it which is not the case abroad,” adds Bhaskar. Nevertheless, the fun and the adrenaline rush associated with this is exciting for youngsters. Pooja Sampath, an MBA student, recently took part in a flash mob in front of a mall.

“It was more of a ‘freeze mob’ as we all suddenly froze in our places for few minutes and then went about our own way. It was so much fun and we actually practised a day or two before and couldn’t believe we pulled it off,” she adds.

People of varied age groups are using online social networking platforms like Facebook and Twitter to get in touch with the masses to organise such “spontaneous” activities. Vikram says in a City like Bangalore, there is no dearth of enthusiasm and it is a real challenge to get the timing, choreography and even the necessary permissions in place to pull off something like this.

“As of now, it is going viral in India. But there are so many of them happening that soon flash mobs will fizzle out and lose their charm. People should think new rather than follow the mob mentality. That’s what will make a difference,” adds Vikram.