With his performance at the ongoing World Cup, Yuvraj Singh is very much the man of the moment. The cricketer, who is known more for his off field “pursuits”, is now being talked about for his stellar wielding of the bat. But Yuvraj is a symbol for a larger breed of New Age men. Men whose mantra is to party hard and work harder.
Akshay Kumar may claim that he sits at home after a hard day of work and Shah Rukh Khan says he likes to spend time alone, but a growing band of young men like Yuvi think there’s nothing wrong in going out and having a great time — all in the quest to rejuvenate themselves. “It’s a great way to reenergise yourself,” says stand-up comedian and actor Vir Das. Although Das spends most of his time performing his stand-up routine — that helps other people relax after work — he says he always makes time to catch up with friends over a beer.
“I am working all the time. When I’m not shooting, I’m either rehearsing for my new comedy act or touring with my band. So, as you see I don’t get enough time for recreation. But whenever I do get some time, I make sure I make the most of it. I either go clubbing with my buddies or chill over beer. After having worked hard throughout the day, you need all that to keep yourself going,” he says.
By partying, these men don’t necessarily mean clubbing or going out. It could also mean staying in — with a big bunch of friends. Actor Srishta Kumar, who plays the lead in the TV show Lado, says, “I do go clubbing whenever I get the time, but most often, I prefer to have a private party with my buddies. We dance, sing and talk till the wee hours,” says Kumar, who counts Mumbai hotspots like Enigma and Firangipani among his favourite haunts.
But not everyone buys into the “party hard, work harder” adage. Model Freddy Daruwala says it’s an overrated concept, although he doesn’t mind clubbing once in a while. “As a model, I have to be extra careful about my sleep and food patterns. So I think it’s a very relative concept,” he says. Psychologist Malini Iyer concurs. “I think at the end of the day, it’s just about how you choose to unwind,” she says. “With workloads being so intense, everyone needs a way to blow off steam. With men who’re in stressful professions, partying is the one space where they can let themselves go. And it doesn’t take anything away from their zest for work.”
So the next time attention shifts back to Yuvi’s hard-partying lifestyle, rather than his cricket prowess, he can take heart in the fact that he has plenty of company — and that there are many more wanting to join the club.