Queen8217;s Bees

The event is a pointer towards how much the A-list Indians8217; social scene has changed in the past decade. From the Hindujas and the Ramola Bachchans of the 1990s, when ignored invitations risked social Siberia, to the wannabe socialites today, London8217;s Indians have expanded their guest lists, upped their social visibility and tripled their entertainment budgets. What they8217;ve lost out on is the Designated Diva, the fulcrum for well-heeled expats and sundry desi holidaymakers in search of air-kisses and caipirinhas.

Parties hosted by the likes of the Mittals 8216;8216;have no intellectual circle worth talking about!8217;8217; pronounces Farrokh Dhondy, London-based writer, raconteur, boulevardier. 8216;8216;They mix money and politics. And the problem with money and politics is that they have become debased in Britain. They have become boring!8217;8217;

In their early partying days, though, the Hindujas8217; dos were frequented by British bigwigs from across the political spectrum, including Prime Minister Tony Blair. Following the passport scandal, the brothers now maintain a low profile.

They would probably have not been missed as much as they are had their social quiet not coincided with the winding down of Grand Hostesses Ramola Bachchan and Surina Narula. Bachchan8217;s parties once made it to the pages of respected broadsheets like The Telegraph and The Sunday Times. Now, as one long-timer of the party scene comments, 8216;8216;There are more queens and fewer workers unlike the bees.8217;8217;

Dhondy puts another twist to it. 8216;8216;In the artistic and intellectual circles, there is a constant rush of hustlers and chancers looking for connections to the starry dynamo in the machinery of cocktail parties,8217;8217; he says. Dressed in Versace, toting Gucci bags and Prada shades, they have only one aim: to climb the social ladder, fast.

8216;8216;It8217;s all a mirage,8217;8217; senior socialite Narula shakes her head. 8216;8216;People are spending too much. These parties are no longer about networking or getting to know people. It8217;s more about one-upmanship. London wasn8217;t like this before, this won8217;t lead to happiness.8217;8217;

Much wealthier, still social and far more incorrigible party makers, the upper crust Indians are also moving out of homes and into nightclubs and restaurants to play host. Just before the Mittal wedding, businessman Nirmal Sethia and his wife threw a dinner party for the engaged couple, Vanisha and Amit Bhatia, at Annabel8217;s, the famous London nightclub.

Suresh Nanda8212;yes, Admiral SM Nanda8217;s son and Sanjeev Nanda8217;s dad8212;is another social prominent who celebrated his birthday in style at the seriously trendy Sketch restaurant this year. Other popular venues for fun parties: Nobu, Aura, Tramps, Dorchester, Harry8217;s Bar and Grosvenor House.

Bachchan agrees that a growing number of people now prefer to entertain at clubs and restaurants. In fact, the last big bash she herself organised at her Hampstead home was two years ago. 8216;8216;If there8217;s an occasion, I8217;ll throw a big party,8217;8217; she says. 8216;8216;But right now, I get a lot of satisfaction organising charity events for Pratham. I don8217;t really want to dilute my energies.8217;8217;

Narula, too, has diverted some of her considerable organisational skills to charity events. The high point of her social calendar, though, is her annual yacht party, held off the French coast during the Cannes film festival and a magnet for Bollywood royalty and partying Indians from London.

8216;8216;I saw a niche here for networking, letting the mainstream media and film producers know India is doing something. Cannes is about who you know and marketing, and our film people used to miss out on it. They come here on shoestring budgets, so they need a platform like this,8217;8217; she says.

This year, the Miramax and Warner Bros bosses were guests at her party. 8216;8216;It is an opportunity to show them we can stand side by side,8217;8217; says Narula.

The younger generation of socialites, though, are a different breed. As one, who typically doesn8217;t want to be named, but is well known for hosting fun dinners for friends, says, 8216;8216;It8217;s too much of a hassle, not to say expensive to organise events at home.8217;8217; Analyses Bachchan, 8216;8216;Our parents8217; generation worked hard to build a life. Our generation is enjoying the spoils. But our children8217;s generation is less into spending and lavishness.8217;8217;

Narula attributes the change to the younger generation8217;s 8216;8216;individualism8217;8217;. 8216;8216;They don8217;t follow trends like herds. Our generation still has a clannish approach. The children are out there to have fun. They don8217;t have the kind of peer pressure we have. They are more discreet about socialising and partying.8217;8217;

True. A couple of years ago, Aditya Mittal8212;LNM8217;s son and heir8212;hosted a birthday bash at the Mittals8217; Summer Palace on posh Bishops Avenue. The Cuba-themed party was well organised, but not as high profile as his father8217;s dos.

So, though all wealthy young Indians8212;be they the Mittals, the Sethias, the Pauls, the Narulas or the Sangers8212;can be spotted at chic nightclubs and restaurants, the 8216;Party8217; is now largely an excuse to mark milestones rather than just celebrate. The exceptions are Gita Tandon, wife of businessman Ashok Tandon and Vanisha8217;s aunt-in-law, and hotelier biwi Sudha Gulati, whose names pop up occasionally on Indian London8217;s grapevine for hosting 8216;8216;interesting8217;8217; parties at home. The Mittals8217; Diwali party is another event eagerly anticipated by much of the same crowd that thronged the five-day June wedding. But that in no way makes Usha Mittal a contender for the Queen Bee8217;s crown. Terribly media-shy, she8217;d rather play traditional Indian wife and mother than carry the title. Moni Verma of Veetee Rice is becoming increasingly popular with his no-expenses-spared Diwali parties. And then there are the Gulatis, the Tandons, Lubna Chopra and quite a few others who are great hosts8212;for anniversaries, birthdays and grandchildren8217;s namkarans.

Lavish charity balls are becoming prominent features during the Diwali season. But their character, too, has changed, with charities increasingly hiring professionals to organise fundraisers instead of depending on volunteers. 8216;8216;Earlier, Ramola, I and a few others voluntarily organised these events. The professionals raise more funds and people no longer question it. Nowadays everything, be it partying for fun or charity, is more money-minded,8217;8217; says Narula.

But then, money talks. And it impresses. Weeks after the Mittal wedding, guests are still dining out on the pound;12,000-15,000 tab for each invitee, the profusion of pound;600 wines, not to mention Kylie Minogue8217;s first-ever appearance at a private do and the professional sari-drapers so thoughtful, gushed London8217;s nine-yard novices. And it8217;s not just about NRIs any longer either. Growing numbers of desi deep-pockets, too, are descending on London with the regularity of seasonal migrants to jive up the social scene. Mr and Mrs KP Singh of DLF, arguably Delhi8217;s richest couple, are in London now. On the agenda: A string of parties for friends. Abha Modi, too, comes in the summer to host art exhibitions and encourage young artists.

No regrets, signs off Ramola Bachchan. 8216;8216;I8217;ve been there, done that and moved on,8217;8217; she says. The torch is up for grabs.