The Hindu Business Line : It's movies and coffee in Chennai

Between cinema hopping and java joint outings to slumber parties and the less popular, but still happening dicso-grooving, the average youngster today does seem to have quite a bit going for him/her on the entertainment scene. And why not — with a coffee pub dotting almost every street corner in Chennai, hip pubs and sleek multiplexes that lure the young into their stylised lairs.

But Divya and her friends, second-year students from a city college, feel that "Chennai has to improve more as an entertainment hub as most live concerts are held in Bangalore."

Nilofer agrees, saying,"Bangalore is considered a more convenient option by youngsters when it comes to entertainment." But what about the `sporadic' unwind zones in Chennai? "There are the coffee pubs, though we go there for everything else but the coffee," says Divya. "Bowling and go-karting are not happening and discos are not the in-thing either," Anumita reels off a string of entertainment no-nos.

But weren't these pursuits supposed to claim prime spots on the entertainment priority lists?

All heads shake in unison. Says Divya, "Discos are overrated. And besides, the DJs are very touchy." Amrita, her classmate, adds, "These days it's not what you want that they play but what music they prefer." What about pool parlours and the movies?

A chorus of voices is raised in favour of the movies, in particular the Satyam multiplex, which were "pretty decent" and offered an interesting fare. "Movies and coffee, that's what's happening now for youngsters," concur Radhika.

To Merin, Bernice, Suhana and Pragya, students from a city college, it's the "safety aspect that Chennai guarantees when it comes to entertainment more than the options themselves that matter." Adds Shanas, "Plus the fact that we get a little more liberty than we do at home."

But it is not only the glossy interiors of coffee pubs and pool parlours that attract these youngsters. It's important to be with the "right people. We also rent some CDs and have a nice time at home," says Suhana.

So do Sunder and Shyam, software professionals in Chennai, when they have exhausted options such as bowling alleys, discos and pool parlours. With just the weekend to catch up on the entertainment action, they cash in more on "quality time with friends, because places like the discos are open only to the elite and pool parlours are not the pick of the young crowd".

When asked about the kind of entertainment youth prefer, Shyam says, "I think nowadays the youth are giving in to a lot of peer pressure when it comes to the right kind of entertainment. So we find a lot of disco happening even if these are expensive." Adds Sunder, "However, today most youngsters have found alternative entertainment and prefer to have fun as a group wherever they are."

So it's the "movies or browsing or group discussions among friends or relaxing on the beach."

Or mill around the shopping mall, like Kavitha and her friends. Though, not for any special reasons other than the fact that there doesn't seem to be a better option for these sprightly youngsters. "We need to have more discos and more than that, the discos need to open up to the youth. Most of them are by membership, so we can't chill out there," says Tanisa.

You certainly can't if you're on a shoe-string allowance. Joseph Fernandez, a media professional, says, "Discos and pubs are popular among the working youth, who have more disposable cash."

To the rider whether Chennai offers sufficient options for the youth today, he says, "It does offer a lot of the alternative movement, such as acoustic jams, the arts, because it is part of mainstream youth entertainment. There is a greater interaction of local flavour added to anything that is apparently western."

Joseph has an answer for those who complain about Bangalore hogging all the rock concerts. "Chennai is happening because of its own indigenous initiatives, unlike Bangalore which always has to bring in some outsider to liven up the entertainment scene."

And if youngsters feel a dearth of choice, it's because expectations are "different and dynamic. It all depends on what you are looking for and you will see that there is a whole world of entertainment options evolving," he adds.

Picture by N. Balaji

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