Remember the Bollywood theme party in this year?s only certified hit, Page 3? Well, that?s just celluloid stuff no more, as Calcutta gets ambitious and goes footloose, filmi style. Gone are the nights when partying was only about some casual dressing and impromptu dancing. Now, there are rules to be followed and protocol to be maintained. After all, yeh hai Calcutta meri jaan?

Candid camera

If you haven?t booked the banquets of a hotel, a spacious terrace or lawn is your best option. Now how you set up the background depends on how far out you wanna go. From old cranky projectors to antique gramophones, you can really take your guests on a retro ride, starting with the Devika Ranis and Ashok Kumars.

Posters are a must ? the bigger the better, the more the merrier. Pin up your all-time favourite movie posters and paste captions like ?Coming soon? and ?Now showing?!

Life-sized cutouts of actors and actresses give an authentic tinsel touch to the proceedings. One can really play around with the lighting by getting actual HMI lamps on stands, used for professional shooting purposes.

If you can beg, borrow or steal a projection TV and play a Sholay DVD on the big screen, your party?s a hit even before you?ve greeted one of your guests with, ?Arre Sambha?? But do keep the volume muted so that party chatter can flow freely.

And don?t you dare have couches around the place ? you never know who might want to do a Shakti Kapoor!

Haute heroes

Everybody wants to be an Amitabh Bachchan or a Shah Rukh Khan. But more than big names, the stress on a Bollywood night should be on famous characters. Specify on the invitation card and make sure that your guests turn up as Gabbar Singhs and Raju jokers.

A simple knot here and a twisted scarf there and one can easily slip into the shoes of some evergreen character from Indian film history.

You can also try out some new people like Rani Mukherjee?s Michelle McNally by donning the hat, the shades, some black number, and that all-important white stick.

Konkona Sen Sharma?s Madhavi Sharma is also an easy alternative with the journalist?s handbag strapped across the chest.

Other popular recent filmi avatars could be the bespectacled Preity Zinta in Kal Ho Naa Ho, the overtly garish Kareena Kapoor in Chameli or the sensuous Sushmita Sen in Main Hoon Na.

Men aren?t spoilt for choice, either. You can keep nodding all evening with your collar buttoned up, but who wants to be a Guide these days? The Aamir Khan goatee from Dil Chahta Hai is expected to do more damage than a Devsaab act. Going all colours blazing is the best choice, though, what with most of our heroes spiritedly sporting yellow trousers and pink shirts, not to mention the laal rumaal?

Music mania

For a Bollywood theme night, the most important element is, of course, the music. Getting a professional DJ is a must, who would not only be able to mix the tracks but also bring with him a treasure-house of old forgotten tracks. The Saakis and Saajna ves will send the temperatures soaring all right but to set the mood you need gems like Bholi surat dil ke khote and Aye mere zohra jabi.

If budget is not a big bother, import an item girl for the evening. Depending on how much you shell out, you can fly in anyone from a music video dancer to a supermodel. Easily the most wanted member of your party, this item girl will definitely ensure that your guests hang around till she is done with her jhatkas.

If you are really low on moolah, get hold of the non-stop Bollywood party albums and just keep them rolling. And if you?ve had enough of the jhankaar beats, well, just try some Naushad and Khayyam for a couple of hours to soothe your nerves.

Ethnic eats

No Chinese chow or Mughlai masala here. The keyword is lip-smacking. So get a phuchkawala stationed near the spread and watch the tamarind take its toll on your guests. A chaat counter is an added bonus. As for dinner, keep it simple and essentially Indian. Gravies and kebabs should be the order of the night with roti, naan and pulao for company. Don?t forget to round it off with paan, Benaraswala, of course?