‘Mermaids’ and ‘champagne chandeliers’ are Delhi’s latest firang obsession

Delhi likes its weddings big and loud, and the more things that show you have money to spend, the better. ‘Live performers’ – from Bollywood, or, even better, ‘abroad’, have been the benchmark for those looking to impress. But ‘exotic’ (read white skinned) dancers and entertainers are now old hat. The next big thing to set your shaadi apart is having ‘live decor’ to pretty it up.
What’s that, you ask? It is what it sounds like – humans (actually, women, and yes, firang women) used as props to glam up a wedding and show you have clout. The ‘decoration’ could be anything – ‘mermaids’ seated in an artificial pool pretending to play a violin, or ‘flower ladies’ dressed in an all-flower outfit to welcome guests, or a woman wearing, well, a table that holds champagne glasses.
These live mannequins are becoming a common sight at Delhi’s lavish weddings, and wedding planners say they’re most in demand in north and west Delhi and from the “businessmen and property dealer” types. Their only job seems to be to sit (or stand or hang) there, smile and look pretty. Did someone say objectification?
Demand for ‘firang element’
The concept of firang girls at weddings is not a new one. Till a few years ago, they were hired for special dance performances and were highly paid. As the performance charges went up with the increase in demand, event managers and wedding planners started thinking of more ways to incorporate the foreign element while planning weddings. They are foreign girls (mostly Russian and Ukrainian) hired by event management companies and wedding planners on the request of their clients to add glamour to the wedding venues.
Abhishek Kaushik, a wedding planner who specializes in designing floral costumes for the ‘flower ladies’ who are stationed at the venue entrances, says, “Earlier, one professional dancer charged around `15,000-20,000 for a performance. But these performances soon became a norm at high profile Delhi weddings as it was like a status symbol to have foreigners dancing at weddings.”
Abhishek adds, “When the demand for these girls increased, they started charging around `25,000-40,000 for a single performance. People who have that kind of a budget, would rather invite a TV celebrity or small-time starlet who would make the wedding a talking point among guests. So, event managers had to conceptualise new ideas with foreign girls. That’s how this trend of foreign girls as hostesses and live decor started. Now, at many large-scale weddings, you can see them standing at the entrance, greeting people, bartending, serving food, playing music and ensuring that the guests are taken care of. People think that the weddings look grand with firang faces.”
Fountain girls and champagne chandeliers!
The options for ‘live decor’ are a plenty and, event managers take pride in the number of concepts they can offer. Karan Devgan, an event manager in the city, tells us, “While most girls have to just greet the guests, those working as champagne chandeliers have much more to do. They hang like acrobats in the middle of a huge chandelier and serve drinks. The only reason that these girls are in demand is that guests want eye candy. In some weddings, there is also a demand for ‘orchestra girls’, who may not actually play music, but will pose with musical instruments anyway.”
“For live decor, the price ranges from `15,000-25,000, while the prices go up for those who can perform or have to serve food and drinks. Jaise ladki chahiye mil jayegi aur agar paise achche dete hain log, toh inn foreigners ko aise train kiya jata hai jaise ye dulha ya dulhan ke friends ho. Guests ke saath selfie ke alag paise lagte hai,” says another event manager.
Most wedding planners have contacts for event managers who deal with foreign ‘artistes’. “More than performances, the demand is now for live decor, as it makes a wedding look expensive. We get requests for foreign artistes from many big weddings in Delhi now. The ‘show’ element associated with foreigners is higher than it is with Indian performers or hostesses,” says Sahil Kohli, a caterer in the city who also arranges for live decor. Abhishek adds that their demand is higher in north and west Delhi. Clients from these areas are mostly businessmen and property dealers, who are willing to spend any amount to make the event grand so that it is talked about in their circles. “I have been told often, ‘Jitni zyaada foreigners hongi, shaadi utni ‘international’ lagegi,” says Abhishek.
A girl from Russia, who works with an event management company in the city, says she doesn’t mind performing because she has always been intrigued by Indian weddings as shown in Bollywood films, and because the job pays well. “It is like a short-term project. Most of us return to our country after our visas expire, but some come back to do these jobs for more money,” she says. Another performer wrote in her personal account, “We are often made to do weird things just because we are white. Jobs can include anything from greeting guests while dressed as English Beefeaters, to leading the bride and groom’s wedding procession while riding a horse. Once, I had to pose as a table and hand out drinks and then have empty glasses deposited on me. It is very embarassing but pays well. Most girls doing this are either interning or studying in Delhi and doing the odd job to make ends meet. Some of them, mainly Russians, work full-time on contracts. They get paid `80,000 onwards a month, with their accommodation and living expenses covered.”