The Hotspots Of India’s Queer Nightlife

In the 1990s, Voodoo in Mumbai’s Colaba was notoriously known as one of the first queer haunts in the city’s public landscape. Since then, there haven’t been exclusively queer clubs or bars in India. In the last decade, the queer rights movement has proliferated through the crevices of Mumbai’s homophobia, giving rise to a host of queer party organisations that’ve been striving to set up safe nights out.

Predominantly earlier and sometimes even now, when my friends (most of whom are male) and I would try to enter many of the mainstream clubs located across south Mumbai, we would be halted because the door staff was instructed to strictly allow only heterosexual couples. Today, though, a younger and more liberal generation has facilitated — and is thua a part of — the changed dynamics of the queer nightlife. More vibrant now, the parties are held amongst large but close-knit circuits and in well-known clubs than just at back-alley, seedy haunts.

Some organisations have been organising parties in India since the start of the millennium. Such parties were previously usually held in suburban areas, far from the city’s mainland, because prime party spots were tough deals to crack thanks to widespread homophobia and fear of hate crimes and raids. They have been spaces where the community found a sanctuary of sorts, however short-lived they were.

Now, the market is growing, and the many organisers hold parties on alternate weekends so there’re no clashes and every party-goer can have a taste of all the scenes out there. It’s pleasantly surprising how queer subversive culture can co-exist alongside the mainstream.

Here are some of the organisations that have carved their niche through their policies, themes and beliefs:

Zsa Zsa Events, Mumbai

Hot off the block, Zsa Zsa Events has been organising queer parties regularly in Bandra over the last few months. What’s big is that they’ve managed to host them at Olive Bar and Kitchen where, at one point, Bollywood’s biggest names could be spotted. With an exclusive guest list — which one can register for through their Facebook event page — the parties are usually small but intimate and interesting.

Fevernites, Bengaluru

Fevernites has been arranging LGBTQIA+ parties at some of the chicest venues in town since 2009 — from The Gateway Hotel Bengaluru’s Saphyre to The LaliT Ashok’s Sutra. Pumping house music mixes keep the ambience fresh usually. Themes such as “Bollywood Dandiya”, “Okto-Beer-Fiesta” and “Drag-O-Ween” keep the parties in high spirits.

Gay Bombay, Mumbai

Born in 1998, Gay Bombay is one of the longest-running online queer support groups in India. They are also one of the first to host private queer parties in the city’s clubs, which they got into in 2000. Apart from organising counselling sessions, meet-ups and other activities, the parties that they organise have emerged as some of the safest and accessible spaces across Mumbai for queer folks. Their love for populist Bollywood and the casual ambience they create appeal to many and make them feel welcome.

Gaysi, Mumbai

Queer and trans men have a multitude of queer party options to choose from but the same doesn’t apply to others. Media company and online queer resource centre Gaysi sought out to level the ground by organising events for LBT females in Mumbai since 2007. While the parties are usually open to all the members of the community, Gaysi rightfully insists that male attendees must come along with at least one female companion. The music is a mix between Bollywood and Western pop chart-toppers and the events are held at hip suburban and mainland venues. Gaysi parties are also popular for their occasional “drag king” performances — India’s first-ever and not to be missed.

Mist, Pune

Founded a couple of years ago, Mist is an online collective of members of the queer community. Its parties, usually cosy and low-key, are held in Pune’s clubs and bars. Sustained by a student population that’s liberally inclined, the parties are known for the youthful energy all around.

Kitty Su, Delhi and Mumbai

Inspired by The Lalit Group’s executive director Keshav Suri’s vision of a drag queen, Kitty Su was born in 2011. As drag culture found its space in the Indian queer scene, Kitty Su made it part of their Thursday night parties, known as C-U-Next-Thursday, at the club in Andheri’s The Lalit Hotel. It is still one of the very few places where drag is performed to question gender stereotypes, break the norms of conformity and cultivate an inclusive ideology in the queer community. Their themes — “A Night Of A Thousand Lady Gagas”,  “Madhuri Dixit”, etc — pay homage to iconic pop cultural icons once in a while. Moreover, Kitty Su’s managed to bring down some of the world’s most famous drag queens who’ve appeared on the show RuPaul’s Drag Race to India. 

Salvation Star, Mumbai

Since 2007, Salvation Star has become one of the premier LGBTQIA lifestyle events company in Mumbai. Their soireés, as they’re called, are held in Mumbai’s prime venues, such as Bandra’s Bonobo, Lower Parel’s Todi Mill Social and Kamala Mill’s Theory. Their efforts to make mainstream establishments more inclusive and queer-friendly is a big step in itself. Their music ranges from Western contemporary pop chart-busters to electronic mixes.

Rage by D’Kloset, Mumbai

For seven years, Inder Vhatwar has been organising easy-going parties at clubs and bars (those in 4- and 5-star hotels as well) all over Mumbai. Rage by D’Kloset has made its name through parties hosted every weekend. With a crowd-pleasing mix of Bollywood and Western pop tracks, Rage’s vibe attracts one and all.

Since Section 377 of the IPC has been denounced, newer party organisers have also entered the scene. Among them are Hive Events and Elysium Unlimited, who’ve held a party each at prominent venues such as Khar’s Out Of The Blue and Bandra’s Eddie’s Bistro, respectively.

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Certain discriminatory practices continue to plague the parties. Apart from the parties at Kitty Su and Gaysi’s events, there’s a clear lack of trans and LBT folks at many of these clubs, mostly because of a phobic attitude towards trans, femme folks.

With time, we hope that the community will be able to celebrate its diversity wholesomely rather than just in fragments divided by gender and self-expression.