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Bandra Boys No! This is not a much-delayed rip-off on Bombay Boys that amazing (!???) movie by Kaizad Gustad. Nor is this an attempt to predict the box-office prospects of a soon to be released movie, which goes by the name of Bad Boys. Need I say more? But more seriously, this is an effort of a “Bandra Boy” to present to you the lifestyle; yeah…you guessed this right, of “Bandra Boys”.
Take the case of this Miss India (ex)…the minute she knew I lived in Bandra, she exclaimed, “Oh! You live in Bandra”. Now what in the world is so exciting about living in Bandra (other than the fact that Shah Rukh Khan has a bungalow at Bandstand!)? On further prompting she said, “I hear so much about Bandra; Bandra boys, Bandra shopping, Bandra chicken (!?!?), Bandra this and Bandra that!” Now, as in the case of Miss India, if you are the types who “keep hearing” (get that appointment with the psychiatrist now!) things, it’s time you got it straight from the horse’s mouth…that’s me of course (silly!), because who better to tell you more about Bandra than a “Bandra Boy”?
A typical BB has all the charm in the world to bowl over ten pretty maidens with his dazzling smile. Add to that a pocketful of cash, a mobile phone and his connections with all and sundry, be it politicians or film stars, socialites and wannabe socialites. All this and more make him the “most wanted”! He knows how to spend and spends it with style. Be it on clothes, food, and parties or just to have a good time. Upmarket is where he belongs. You’ll always see a BB in all the right places (at all the wrong times!), chilling out in his new Indica (the music system on full volume) at Carter Road (to woo all the “chicks”) or shaking a leg or two at Club IX, Abyss or Toto’s!
Does all this make BBs good-for-nothings? Do they live in a world of their own with their nose up to the sky? Don’t they have fun, study and basically enjoy themselves? Well, that they definitely do, and in what style! I’ll vouch for that coz I’m one of them too. BBs attend lectures at colleges like National, MMK and Andrews. They’re in-tune with all the aakarshan around them and know how to have a jaashan! And yes they do bunk to catch the matinee show at Gaiety, Galaxy and Glamour! They have fun, enjoy themselves and work hard too. You’ll probably see them earning a little extra pocket money at stores like KBN, Nagani’s, JATC and even at the cyber-cafe around the corner. All said and done, BBs are definitely a class apart from all others! So what are you waiting for? Don’t you think it’s time you became a Bandra Boy? Go on…just do it! ©
Salil S. Jayakar, October 2001 |
It
was during a chance meeting with an ex-Femina Miss India (no…I’m not giving
you any names) that the thought of such a topic came to mind. But being just
plain old me (I’m no Shakespeare!), it’s taken me a while (about three
years!) to pen those thoughts on paper. What struck me most was the fascination
that “townies” (those who live on “High Street”) have about the
“burbites” (me, you and them over there who are waiting for that Viral
local!). 
Well,
that’s enough about what Miss India thinks about Bandra and Bandra this and
Bandra that. Let’s get back to Bandra Boys (from here on referred to as BBs).
BBs are a class apart from all others. They have killer looks, Salman (oh, by
the way even he is a Bandra Boy) like physiques and loads of attitude. 
The
easiest way to identify a BB is to check out the labels he is sporting. Nothing
less than the real stuff will do for this species in a class of his own. So the
shoes will probably be from Reebok, Nike or Adidas, the six-pocket comfort fits
from Lee and the tight-fit shirts (to show off those muscles!) from Lacoste,
Benetton or Allen Solly. Add to that a whole bunch of accessories like Ray Ban
sunglasses and Cologne Versace, of course, all picked up from KBN, the super
store. Even when it’s time to satisfy those taste buds, no neighbourhood Udipi
joint is going to live up to his expectations. So you’ll probably see him
biting into a Chicken Sandwich at Candies or Hearsch, the Chicken Croissants at
Hot Breads or the Chicken McBurger at McDonald’s or even the Chicken Dosas at
Dosa Diner. Did I hear someone say “Bandra Chicken”? And if he wants to shed
those few extra pounds, he can always “Trim with Taste” at “Just Around
The Corner”!