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Journalism of Courage
It was as early as 10 pm but Zenzi had already run out of sushi rolls. On its closing night,Janelle Alves was doing all she could to take home,literally,her favourite hangout in Bandra. Im going to miss this place so much, she exclaimed,as she asked them to serve two sushi platters for her friends and pack away the rest for a take-out. No other pub will ever allow me in,given the way I dress, she said.
When a bar shuts down,it isnt unusual to wonder about the fate of the wines and spirits lined up on the wall. But Zenzi wasnt just another bar,nightclub or restaurant. It wasnt another hangout around the corner either. A unique space and way ahead of its time,this Bandra landmark changed the way Mumbai viewed entertainment. Having first opened doors in 2004,the space with its informal,lively vibe instantly clicked with people. They eventually introduced live-acts and amateur nights to promote indie music and upcoming artistes,becoming a hub for tourists,expats,models and young professionals to let their hair down and also network,well before Blue Frog took over the mantle.
We could see it coming for a long time now, said Matan Schabracq,one of the partners with Zenzi. The Dutch expat,now settled in Amsterdam,had flown down especially to attend the bars last reunion on Friday and the last salsa night on Sunday. The outdoor section provided for most of the positive vibe of the place. Running a club is very complicated and weve had our share of trouble, he added,looking around at the salsa enthusiasts and some of his regular patrons. With nearly every guest knowing the others present,the evening resembled a private party.
The BMC had closed down Zenzi for six months last year and demolished a water tank as well as an illegal wall in their outdoor section. After it came to light that the whole section was illegal,the owners reopened Zenzi sans it. But this wasnt the pubs first run-in with the law. In 2009,the Bombay High Court had ordered the bar to take down the shed they had built outside in response to a petition filed by the buildings sole resident,Arif Syed. It also didnt help that the neighbours constantly complained about incessant traffic jams outside the bar. The bar had been on the BMCs radar for anything illegal,a poetry reading without a proper performers license included.
All the trouble and bad publicity aside,what Zenzi offered was unique when there were no places offering alternative entertainment. That is why Sunday was an emotional evening for many patrons who showed up for one last dance. Salsa India,a company specialising in teaching Latin American dance forms,was once unique in its offering. We had experienced instructors,but our affiliation with Zenzi helped us tap into the right market, said Suman Sarogi,an instructor with Salsa India,which has been using the space to host dance workshops followed by a Salsa evening for the last six years.
For artist and freelance designer Alves,losing Zenzi is like being amputated. Her first and only art exhibition in 2007 was held in Zenzi. I didnt want to showcase my art in a regular gallery because they tend to be too formal. Zenzi had a different vibe. I didnt feel like I was getting judged,and got great feedback, she said.
But according to marketing executive,Suvankar Roy,a regular for the last four years,Zenzi lost its charm when its outdoor section was torn down. To most people thats when they really lost the place, he says. There wont be another place like it again. But there are many clubs coming up like Bonobo and Blue Frog which could collectively fill the gap in the market.
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