Pune’s weekend party action shifts to Thursdays

Last week, over 300 people at a popular bistro in Camp were dressed to impress in keeping with the classic theme of the night. Guests socialised, sipped their drinks, munched on appetisers and grooved to the music. A typical Friday night, you’d think. Except that the night was ‘Thank God It’s Thursday’.
The weekend action seems to have shifted to this otherwise quiet weekday.Pune wants to kickstart its party fun early and nightspots in the city are more than willing to oblige.
On the whole, partying on Thursdays is fairly new – not more than a couple of months old. The idea, say partygoers, is to get into the weekend groove. “Earlier Saturday was the main party day but that changed with international DJs and artistes performing at various places on Fridays. So Friday is no more the chill-out night – instead, we go all out and party and even attend after-parties!” says Sneha Narayan, a regular on the party circuit. “So stepping out on Thursday night is fun because it’s not as much about letting your hair down as about mingling with friends, eating, drinking and winding up early.” Navtej Sawhney, partner of a lounge in Koregaon Park, says the concept is embedded in the industrial holiday funda. “Of course now it’s not about that but about getting into the party mode as Thursday is closer to the weekend,” he says. They kickstarted Hip-House Thursdays recently and have a footfall of 100 people. “People in the city want to step out on Thursdays. Plus, we add that incentive of a deal on drinks,” he adds.
At another resto-lounge in Koregaon Park, revellers gather to play Housie, enjoy a bladderburst night or just groove to the music. Says Khodu Irani, partner of the resto-lounge, “Here and at the bistro in Camp, people come because they look forward to the experimental nights. From flair bartending, mixologists to big DJs and theme bar nights – there’s lots to hook the party circuit. People want to socialise and wrap up early.”
The main clubs of the city are refraining from entering the Thursday scene – it’s more restricted to the lounges. ‘Throwback Thursdays’ is another event that has caught on at a 5-star lounge in Koregaon Park. The USP of this night again is the chilled out EDM (Electronic Dance Music) scene. This sets the tone for the weekend and eventually shifts to more commercial and house music on Fridays and Saturdays at different venues. Says event manager Vinay Pawar, “In Pune, entertainment options are very limited so people have no choice but to head out for dinner and drinks. Soon, we will be bringing artistes down to perform as Thursdays are really picking up.”