Bengaluru’s party scene is a vibrant, diverse and energetic blend of casual hangouts, high-end clubs and unique social experiences that cater to not only the young, cosmopolitan crowd, but also to the city’s who’s who. What began as a scene across Indiranagar, Koramangala, Brigade Road and MG Road has now expanded to Whitefield, Hennur, Hebbal, JP Nagar, Electronics City and beyond.
We have witnessed clubs and pubs being embraced by larger sections of societies over the years. For a better understanding of soirées that host the affluent of the city from time to time or events that make it to almost every newspaper’s page three, we chose to speak to someone who is one of the city’s favourite socialites — Aslam Gafoor.
“15 years ago, the party scene was very much alive and kicking. Old Bengalureans at the time were very well-heeled, well-travelled and a non-social media audience. Everyone really looked forward to opening event-nights and launches because they were very special. Partly because these parties took place once every few months. The organisers paid attention to every little detail in terms of who was being invited, the target group, thematics and that was also why these social evenings were taken very seriously back then. If not invited, it could give somebody FOMO (fear of missing out) because the events also promoted intellectual interactions thanks to art or fashion spaces,” he recalls.
To get more clarity on how the advent of public relations agencies, content hunger, the desire for followers and the need to be ‘seen’ has significantly changed how high society operates and is perceived — we dig deeper.
“Post COVID-19, the food and beverage scene has flourished and how. Now we have a flurry of openings every week and one can hardly keep a count of how many they are attending. Every hotel today wants to host a cake mixing or a tree lighting and every single one of these events, be it big or small, invites the same audience. I get that today having a social media footprint is very important because that’s what grabs everyone’s eyeballs first, but what about the experience?” Aslam questions.
When one has questions they also come with answers and here’s how Aslam thinks those hosting parties across town can curate a better experience going forward.
“For owners launching a new restaurant, bar or a menu, it would be great if they draw their target audience instead of crowding the place with anybody that’s available to attend. Secondly, partygoers need to be choosy and be present where their presence really matters. Being everywhere can cause overexposure and loss of individuality,” he concludes.
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