IPL is one part cricket,one part controversy and one part partying. So how do they party?There is a new party in town. Flashy marquee,fashion on the ramp and Four Seasons wine. But it is the crowd that gets it going boisterous cricketers,upbeat cheerleaders togged out in their evening best,blond models in barely-there dresses and the plebian masses eager to make the most of the stupendous entry fees. Welcome to a post-match IPL party. It is Sunday,April 11. Delhi Daredevils teetered before Kings XI Punjab in the heat and dust of Ferozeshah Kotla,but you wouldnt know it at the ITC Maurya at the Capital where the cricketers were put up and where they could,conveniently,party with the Others. The arrival desk outside the party zone was manned by bouncers in black suits,warding off the swarming crowd. Behind the desk,event-management executives ticked off names on three lists host IPL,designers guests and fans. The fans were those who had bought Club Lounge passes for Rs 35,000 for a match and this much more. (Or else,the match-alone ticket comes for Rs 300-6,500.) Fans,festooned on the wrist with a green ribbon with Match Number 44 (the Daredevils-Kings XI) inscribed,were ushered into a long IPL Night. Its 10.30 pm and the whos who of Delhis young and racy social set was absent. Instead,you found a new breed of people,swiveling their wines and teetering on high heels. Dhruv Gupta,an MBBS student walked in with three friends,as the party began. I came here because I am a big fan of Brett Lee. I hope I get to have a photo with him, said Gupta,before darting towards the bar. Nikita Smith,a 23-year-old cheerleader from South Africa was chatting with a newbie male model. Its a wonderful idea. Basically,I guess this is where we and the cricketers cool our heels, she laughed. Sandeep Bhargava,head of corporate affairs,Nokia-Siemens Networks,gushed about how he was loving the parties. This is my second, said Bhargava. It helps from a business point of view as this is where I connect with the corporate set, said Bhargava,who minutes before was scrambling to take a picture of the host of the evening,the Canadian Natalie Glebova,Miss Universe of 2005. Timsy Anand,who is hot on the social circuit and has been managing the hospitality aspect of IPL since season 1,is not taken aback by a crowd of 700. This is not a regular fashion week. We must understand that people come to watch the cricketers in an informal environment. Fashion shows are the side dish, smiled Anand,clad in a deep-blue off-shoulder dress. A little past midnight and socialite-turned-designer Malini Ramani unfurled her fun,party collection. Delhis David Warner,who was run out for 6,and Paul Collingwood who was out for 4,trooped in,almost causing mayhem at the entrance. The crowd hooted when Sreesanth and Irfan Pathan followed minutes later,some scrambling over others to make videos on cell phones. Pathan posed for pictures with nobodies,while Sreesanth in a blue shirt exchanged hellos with fans. They sat in a private area only for cricketers,models and the select social set with a makeshift ramp running in the centre and cordoned off by 12 bouncers. Glebova,in a backless,red Malini Ramani gown and hosting an IPL party for the fourth time,laughed when asked about cricket. The only thing I knew about India was Bollywood. I was approached by the IPL team to host the event and I jumped at the opportunity, she said before jiving with Warner and Collingwood. A bevy of blondes filled up the private zone just as Glebova introduced Malini Ramani as Malina to the crowd. Partys bad boys Yuvraj Singh and Brett Lee had still not made an appearance,but Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara of Kings XI popped in just in time. Among the social set,only hair stylist Ambika Pillai and Mandira Bedi were spotted sitting in a corner. Ramanis fashion show was tepid. A lady in an ivory net sari did not care about the show. Nor did Ramani seem bothered about selling her striped shorts and basic tunics,pegged at Rs 12,000. I just did the show for my friend Mehr, said Ramani. That is former model Mehr Jessia who along with her husband,actor Arjun Rampal,organises the after-parties. The real party began at 1 am when Kings XI Punjab owner Preity Zinta walked in with Yuvraj Singh,and went straight to the dance floor. It was a five-minute special appearance by Zinta,who was soon escorted out,followed by Yuvraj. Jessia has invited her 42 designer friends to be part of the 55 fashion shows and 55 parties extravaganza. She denies that designers are paid to show at the parties. Models are paid for the show,but Jessia refused to confirm whether they are under an agreement to stay on for the parties. On April 13,Delhi Daredevils,again,lost to Mumbai Indians at the Brabourne Stadium. There was one more constant the match turning into an after-thought at the after-party at The Trident hotel at Nariman Point,Mumbai. There were middle-aged gentlemen with shot glasses,cousins of Somebody and friends of designers coming for a dekko,the crowd in a frenzy whenever they spotted a cricketer. There wasn't a Sachin Tendulkar moment; but they seemed happy with a Harbhajan Singh photo.Are you wondering about the bash after the final? The IPL website says a ticket,inclusive of the party,comes for Rs 1.27 lakh.(With inputs from Pooja Pillai)
