The great divide

Comments like this are repeated outside South Mumbai bars every weekend. For townies as they like to be called, the idea of crossing the borders of Worli is below their dignity. And suburban socialites react much the same way when confronted with the thought of driving into town to go to the Ghetto. After all, it can8217;t possibly compare with J49, Razzberry Rhinoceros and a host of more-happening places with a lot more space to bogey.

Though town now has Three Flights Up to boast of, most pubs are terribly cramped. And townies tend to cross over despite all the attitude as the Cuffe Parade gang needs its Saturday Night out more than the suburban swish. It8217;s all dictated by the logistics of space. Even the most affluent townie cannot afford to live in a bungalow. This gives the suburbans an edge as far as entertaining at home goes. Most of them have houses, or friends with houses, where they can throw large parties which spill over into the gardens.

But despite this, townies still believe they have a better deal. One young South Mumbai bachelor who can regularly be spotted at the 1900s or Three Flights Up says, quot;The people from town are from older, more established families, those from the 8216;burbs are just the noveau riche.quot; And the rivalry goes down to the last detail. According to one South Mumbai pub crawler, another point where city and non-city dwellers differ is in their dress code. quot;You can tell a 8216;burban boy because his shirt hangs out. They never tuck their shirts in!quot; But it8217;s not really about dress code. Essentially, it8217;s an extension of the same old fight about, quot;How can Bollywood associated with the 8216;burbs cross over into the sophisticated climes of real money?quot; After all, there was a time when Shashi Kapoor was asked to leave the Wellingdon club as the gymkhana turned its nose up at film stars. And remember the scandal over the Tina Munim-Anil Ambani wedding?

An upturned nose might be an asset in drawingroom warfare, but as a townie admits, quot;If it is your first time in Mumbai, then it is a very difficult to get to know people. Guys from the 8216;burbs are more friendly to strangers.quot; And reverse snobbery is out in full form with suburban socialites wearing their bonhomie on their sleeve. Says Khar-dweller, Aditya Motwane, quot;People on this side are more friendly, more informal and less society conscious. A townie will never admit to coming to North Mumbai. For them it is a matter of who you are seen with.quot; Touche!

But ultimately, the party is everywhere. And for a serious socialiser the sky is the limit. The drive 8212; 30 km one way or the other 8212; to dance the night away is not a big deal. But the greatest unifying factor is of course the opposite sex. Tired of the same faces, boundaries are being erased. As a member of a high-profile Mumbai family puts it, quot;There is more mixing today than ever before as the ladies in the 8216;burbs are far more attractive.quot; And whether it8217;s due to unreasonable bar deadlines in town or the lure of the fairer sex, the line between us and them, this half and the other half are slowly beginning to be erased. The Jai Mehta-Juhi Chawla link did not even manage to raise eyebrows.

But old attitudes die hard. And, there is a South Mumbai A list8217; which no suburban can aspire to join. Similarly, Bandra and beyond has a closed circle that doesn8217;t even know where Colaba Post Office is. So, though there is more mingling between both sides, old habits are hard to kick and there is a fine curtain that divides the South and the North.