More Merrier?

Mumbai's queer party scene has erupted since 377 was struck down last year, what with newer venues hosting parties without any qualms. But, hosts say it's a non-profit venture

Last July, when chef Neelam Bajwa, Maitre D at Olive Bar and Kitchen, launched an LGBTQi bash at the Bandra restaurant, she was utterly disappointed at the turnout. Only 30 people showed up. "I was in tears because I was expecting a crowd of 150," recalls the third generation British Indian, who now lives in Mumbai.

The party was organised under the banner of Zsa Zsa Events (inspired by Hungarian-American actress and socialite Zsa Zsa Gabor), that she founded to host LGBTQi events for the "discerning client". The idea was to provide a safe, secure and "non-sleazy" haven for the queer community. Considering it was prior to the September 2018 verdict on Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), decriminalising homosexuality, she had to go easy on the promotions. These were limited to an Instagram page she had created, which had only a few followers. "Owner AD Singh had given us the go-ahead. We asked our regular guests if they would have reservations if the venue hosted a party for the queer community. Though we got a go-ahead from them, we kept it low key to avoid any drama," she says. "But, I knew it was only a matter of time before we became better known."

The scene changed for the better when Keshav Suri began hosting queer parties at Kitty Su in 2015

Seven months down, Bajwa's bash - held every second and fourth Saturday of the month - has gained steam. On a Saturday night in February, the atmosphere at Olive is upbeat, if not your typical party-scene. There are no stereotypical signs of a gay bash; no swathes of men in flamboyant clothes, or drag performances. The music is groovy and foot-tapping, but not loud. It's only when Bajwa points out to the tables occupied by hip, well-dressed young men, that we realise that the party is in progress. "So, when you think of a gay party, you expect hedonism and men making out on the dance floor. That's a '90s zeitgeist. While parties have still been in dingy, underground spaces, it's now changing. It's more inclusive. You'll see many heterosexual men attending a gay party," says guest at the night, not wishing to be identified for the story.

Bajwa says the idea was to keep the party "normal" while still marketing it as a queer party. "We wanted them to feel welcome and have the place to themselves," she adds. In fact, it's become a watering hole for many gay expats, she adds. She has deliberately left out the third Saturday to avoid a clash with another popular gay party. "I'm not here to step on anybody's toes," she tells us. Incidentally, the 45-year-old is the city's only heterosexual LGBTQi party organiser, a fact she is immensely proud of. "People often ask me why I'm doing this. For me, it's only about spreading love."

And the love is everywhere. With Section 377 being struck down, the doors of Mumbai's hospitality industry are now open for queer parties and bring what was once a sub culture into the mainstream.

Chef Neelam Bajwa launched Zsa Zsa Events last year, to host LGBTQi events for the "discerning client". The idea was to provide a safe, secure and "non-sleazy" haven for the queer community. Pic/Bipin Kokate

Take your pick
Last month, Salvation Star, one of the longest-running gay event management companies, held a party at Bandra's Monkey Bar, owned by AD Singh, Manu Chandra and Chetan Datar and before that at Vishesh Shah's The Little Easy - both well attended party venues in the Linking Road area. Their next one, on March 16, is at BKC's Hello Guppy, owned by Singh. Newer party organisers such as Hive Events and Elysium Unlimited have held a bash each at prominent venues such as Khar's Out Of The Blue and Pali Hill's Eddie's Bistro.

"Earlier, you'd see a lot more gay people concentrated at a single bash because options were limited. But that's no longer the case. I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing, considering now chances of meeting new people at one venue is lesser," jokes Mohsin M, an aspiring model, who is a regular at The Lalit's Kitty Su and Olive Bar and Kitchen.

Nakul Munim, Salvation Star. Pic/Ashish Raje

Nakul Munim, co-founder of Salvation Star, says he's is still soaking in all the new-found attention. "Suddenly people are falling over each to open doors for us," he says. An interior architect, Munim, launched the outfit 12 years ago at a time, when the only other gay support group was Gay Bombay. "It wasn't easy then because restaurant owners weren't forthcoming with their venues and prime slots were never offered. They were afraid of the ruling establishment time to time," he recalls. The parties were often relegated to banquet rooms of "not very nice hotels".

Vikram Doctor, one of the organisers of Gay Bombay, one of Mumbai's longest-running gay support groups, recalls how they had to pretend they were attending a birthday party. "We would even carry a cake and cut it at some point," he laughs. Started as a website in 1998, Gay Bombay moved to organising parties in 2000. "The clubs that would agree to host us were ones that were going out of business, so then they didn't really care. We would up partying at a place for a month or two and then scout for new places again," he says.

Ajay Verma, a fashion designer, was once a regular at Voodoo, Colaba's watering hole and bastion of the queer community. "In the 90s, we saw a small segment of gay men who were comfortable about their sexuality and forming a gay community. Gay parties were restricted to private dos at home till Voodoo came into existence. A small pub devoted to gay men became a revolution in what seems to have changed the perspective of many and allowed gay men to gain confidence," he recalls. Later, GayBombay and Salvation Star made it easy for the community by scouring for venues.

Drawing the spenders
The scene changed for the better when Keshav Suri, chairman, Lalit Group of Hotels and one of the key petitioners in the case challenging Section 377, began hosting queer parties at Kitty Su in 2015. "Proprietors realised that this could be profitable because you were targeting an entire community of people, who had spending power. That's where the money is," explains Munim. Namrata B, events coordinator at Gaysi, a collective that works to create safe spaces for the community, concurs.

She believes restaurant folks usually want a loyal customer base, something the queer community is fiercely known for. "Once they know they are welcome, they spread the word and the number only doubles or more," she says.

According to Suri, there was nothing "illegal" about hosting a gay event. "According to the law, only "carnal intercourse" was the problem. But, lack of education and fear of the unknown prevented people from attempting it," he says.

A hint of how much the business has grown lies in the fact that in the last one year, Munim has hired an intern to handle their social media account and a graphic designer to work on the flyers and creatives. The entry at their parties is Rs 600, inclusive of cover. While the entry at Zsa Zsa is free, Social (run by Riyaaz Amlani's Impressario Entertainement and Hospitality Pvt Ltd) has hosted events - by both Gaysi and Salvation Star - where they have charged Rs 400, inclusive of cover.

The profit-sharing model though, is skewed in favour of the venue. "They enjoy a large percentage of the entry fee. What we earn is usually spent on hiring well-established DJs, which cost us nothing less than Rs 20,000 per party because our thrust is global music," says Munim. At a recent fundraiser night, the team was able to raise Rs 1.4 lakh as proceeds for Queer Azadi Mumbai that organises the Pride March every year. But that's an exception, he adds. On most regular nights, they don't make that kind of money to take home. "The intention was never profit-driven anyway. For me, the venture was more about coming to terms with my own sexuality, while offering a space where people could groove to global music," he adds.

The market expands
For, Social which hosted four LGBTQi bashes even before the verdict at its Todi Mill and Khar outposts, the events were an extension of their interaction with the community. "We had been in touch with both organisations [Salvation Star and Gaysi] for poetry readings and theatre activities. So, the idea of having a party seemed like a natural progression of events," says Shobita Kadan, director of strategy and marketing at Impresario. The guest list is usually managed by the organisation hosting the bash, and the onus of promoting the event also lies with them.

If Social led the way, others are following quickly. Last month, Vishesh Shah, CEO of The Little Easy, Bandra, hosted a bar night in collaboration with Salvation Star that saw a turnout of 150. "More than publicity and profits, it was about being open and conducting parties for them. The one we held last month wasn't an exclusive one," says Shah. What he means is that while the venue hosted the queer party, it was open to other guests to walk in and mingle. "We wanted them to feel welcome."

Journalist Vinay Nirmala says what sets LGBTQi parties apart from a regular heterosexual one is the freedom it offers. "At a gay bash, I can walk in wearing stilettos and nobody will judge me. Many individuals who are still in the closet attend these parties just so that they can be themselves," he says. The 24-year-old observes that the number of bouncers are usually higher than average. "They beef it up because they don't want any hate crimes to take place."

Making room for women
At most parties, gay men outnumber LBT (lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders), observes Bajwa. The women who do turn up at her gigs are "fag hags" - slang for a woman who prefers the company of gay men.

Namrata from Gaysi says it's is true for events and parties organised by cis gay men groups. "Eighty per cent of our guests consist of LBT and non-binary folks. Of these, 40-50 per cent identify as lesbians because our group is primarily run by LBT persons," she says. To cater to this largely neglected section, Munim plans to revive Salvation Starlets, an offshoot that caters exclusively to women. The outfit dissolved after the lesbian couple that founded it parted ways. "We have found some people who have shown interest in restarting the edition," he says.

For now, despite the decriminalisation of Section 377, the idea of a dedicated gay club remains a distant dream. "The problem of licensing and overheads are so high that a dedicated space for anything is difficult. Forget a gay club, Mumbai doesn't even have a jazz club," says Doctor.

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