Not a minor thing at all

“We were not just surprised by how it was so easy for him to buy rum, whiskey or brandy from any of the stores, but were extremely shocked at how not one person asked for an ID and were so laid-back about it,” explains Bhavjot Anand, founder and director, Awkwardness Unlimited. “In fact, even when we made the kid inform the store that he was 16 and a minor, the kind of bizarre reactions he got were shocking. While one said that it’s okay for kids his age to drinkthese days, the other however laughed it off. One even told the actor that he didn’t look like a teenager,” he adds.

Bhavjot, along with his team consisting of Nataraj Peri, Arjun Chidambaram and the actor Kiiran Valentine Asokan, directed and scripted the video. And within just a day of uploading it on YouTube, it was a hit! “We did not create this video with an intention to make it go viral. We did it because it is something that is actually relevant that not many talk about it. Even worse, some think it’s not a big deal. Though the legal age for drinking in India varies from being 18, 21 or 25 in different states, minors drinking has now become a usual thing and not something people worry about,” he quips.

Saying this effort is non-preachy and is only a question raised at social responsibility, he mentions, “Age is not a number and physical appearance is always subjective. One must at least think of consequences. This is a wake-up call to parents who may or may not be aware of this, to keep a tab on their kids. While we did receive a lot of flak for it, we know that it is definitely a sensitive issue.”

High school kids from the city say it’s no big a deal, as despite any restrictions or law enforcement, there’s always a way out. One such 17-year-old school girl from the city shares, “I would be a hypocrite if I don’t agree to it, or say that we don’t party. Of course we do and often there’s lots of booze. I can confidently walk into any TASMAC outlet and buy booze for myself. Trust me, it’s no big deal. While often our parents are aware about what’s happening, we still do not take advantage of that freedom. We are a matured bunch and know how to hold our drink,” she says.

However, one respite being that the city’s nightclubs and lounges do have a mandatory ID check. Bablu, business manager of The Tapas Bar said, “No matter what day it is, we have a strict check on ID and no one below the age of 18 is allowed inside the premises. Our usual party bunch consists of people who are 20 plus. Sometimes if they are accompanied with their parents or people who are a regular, we allow them,” he adds.