Women from Ahmedabad, Rajkot, and Surat work as female bouncers; physically fit and equipped with soft skills, they handle all kinds of odd situations at garba venues.
This Navratri, the demand for female bouncers has increased.
They are not only physically prepared to deal with miscreants at garba venues, but they also excel at dealing with unusual situations.
Female bouncers have recently emerged to the forefront of the male-dominated bouncers’ fraternity, as portrayed by Tamanna Bhatia in the Hindi film ‘Babli Bouncer.’
A similar story can be seen in real life at various garba venues throughout Ahmedabad, where well-dressed and well-built female bouncers are hired to ensure the safety of female patrons and dancers.
Security agencies in Ahmedabad are hiring female bouncers in their 20s to 40s. Most of them come from humble backgrounds and have taken to their job to earn quick money.
Neel Panchal, Founder of Pratham Youth Community (PYC) that has organized 9-night garba at Ravani Sports Academy in South Bopal, said, “We too have hired female bouncers along with male bouncers this time for better crowd management.
“Of the total 75, around 10 are female bouncers. They not only help in managing the crowds but also tackle odd situations where females have to be handled.”
Karan Makwana, one of the organisers of Mandali Garba, said, “We have hired an equal number of male and female bouncers apart from security guards. They have been helpful in managing the crowd, from the entry points as well as the garba ground.”
Director of Red Fox Protection Services Raj Shekhawat said, “The demand for female bouncers was always there but the supply was not enough. Lately the supply has improved.”
Women bouncers are paid at par with their male counterparts. A female bouncer is paid between Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per shift.
Nargish Banu, 30, who lives in Kalupur area and works as a bouncer, said, “I have been working as a bouncer for the past 5 years as my family was in dire need of money. We are trained in soft skills as well as in physical fitness. It’s fulfilling work.”
Bouncer Farzana Shaikh, 46, is a single mother. She took to the profession after her husband passed away six years ago.
Shaikh said, “I am an art graduate and started working as a security guard 12 years ago. It was only later that I got inspired to become a bouncer whose job carries more responsibilities compared to a security guard.”
Sandeep Singh Dhillon, Business Head of United India Security, stated that there is a need for female bouncers “Female bouncers were mostly from Haryana, Punjab, and Mumbai. Girls from Ahmedabad, Surat, and Rajkot are now applying for the job.”
Female bouncers are in high demand at garba parties hosted by high-end residential societies, in addition to commercial events.