Dancers can get you arrested

Party organisers looking to add a piquant dash of pizzazz to celebrations ranging from bachelor parties to 25th anniversary bashes may have to find a tamer alternative after 18 girls were arrested for ‘obscene’ dancing in Shamirpet.

If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then what constitutes ‘obscene’ is even more subjective. Policemen cite legal definitions of obscenity but acknowledge that it will be up to the discretion of the officer on the ground, at the party. Ask R. Ravinder Reddy, assistant commissioner of police, Banjara Hills, for the legal definition of obscene and he advises us to look it up in a dictionary. Coax him further and he states, “Any indecent behaviour displayed by a person is considered obscene. But when talking about parties, it depends on how much and how the dancers are exposing, whether it is required. And this applies to both men and women.”

Section 294 of the IPC states: Whoever, to the annoyance of others, does any obscene act in any public place shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three months.

Inspector general of police S. Umapathy is somewhat clearer, “The word ‘obscene’ has two different categories — dress and dance. Low cut blouses and very short bottoms are considered obscene.” But again, he treads into the dangerous subjective when he says, “Suggestive dances that excite and arouse men are also obscene.” Hopefully, those who must judge what is ‘obscene’ are not easily excitable.

So then, exotic dancers have been branded as obscene? “Yes,” answers S. Umapathy, “If any one complains of obscenity even in high profile parties or if the police comes to know about it, the organisers and dancers can be arrested.”

Belly dancing and other exotic dance forms traditionally require some exposure, points out Bunty Bajaj, an event manager. “Hyderabad is a city where there is a demand for an international way of living. People need to broaden their outlook. When actors like Helen and even Aishwariya Rai dancing in skimpy clothes are accepted, then why can’t this sort of dancing be okay?” She said that costumes will be modified for parties attended by families.

Will this make exotic dancers at a party now an unwelcome risk? Meher Aria, an event manager, says, “Absolutely not. If you organise and plan the event properly and know how to draw a line between acceptable skin show and obscenity there shouldn’t be a problem.”

- Senthil Akuja .