You gangsta, me moll

KANAK HIRANI NAUTIYAL / TNN / Aug 17, 2006, 20:31 IST

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From red hot to Sex and the City,theme parties are all the rage in Bangalore now.

From red hot to Sex and the City,theme parties are all the rage in Bangalore now.
It's cool, it's crazy and it's Bangalore's newest way to get the party going. A couple of weeks ago, a party invite read gangster and his moll, sending all the hip folk rushing out shopping for leather gloves and cigars.
Last week, it got a bit naughtier - with Sex and the City as the theme.But what makes a theme bash tick? And does it still work if everyone doesn't stick to the theme?
According to stylist Gautam Kalra, the best way to get everyone in costume is to keep the theme simple. "Bangalore's always open to doing theme parties.

But the wild themes may not work well here." For a theme party to work, the concept has to be well-planned. "The theme shouldn't be too experimental.
Like if you do an Oscar night, I don't know if people would stick to the theme," says Gautam. Ergo, keep it simple - "like ‘anything metallic' or 'red hot'.
It makes a fun topic of conversation at the party and will give you great group pictures!" A theme party he's been dying to have? Says Gautam: "Alice in Wonderland. But I don't think anyone would come dressed in costume. I will probably have to keep it private for only 16 people for it to work."

Fashion expert Raj Shroff, who had the theme Sex and the City for his birthday brunch, says, theme parties add an element of interest. "It's a nice change from the regular party which has a DJ playing his music and people standing and chatting.
The whole concept of going out has become so mundane because we party so much. A theme party adds spunk and gets people to chill out." Why this particular theme?
"I want people to become less inhibited, and a little easy about the topic of sex. I just got back from Amsterdam and I saw that people there don't care about anything or anybody."
His plan to spice up the afternoon? "Some naughty games and toys," laughs Raj.
But will everyone be game? Says businessman and party animal Sharan Sharma, "Only if it doesn't require much effort, or if it isn't too wild."
He's been to a couple of theme parties and has nearly always dressed up. "People look forward to theme parties because they can go shopping for costumes and make an effort to dress up. And the younger generation is bringing in some spice to Bangalore's party circuit with these fresh ideas," he adds.
She's been throwing theme parties for the past 10 years and entrepreneur Sangeeta Bhatia isn't running out of ideas yet.
"I've done it all - rich man, poor man, gangster and moll, back to school, treasure hunt with James Bond and even a sports party. The best one I've had till now? The treasure hunt where everyone went out in cars."
Sangeeta believes theme parties make going out more interesting. "And people talk about it. It's not your regular Saturday night out."
kanakhirani@indiatimes.com

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