(From top) The star cast of Friends; Brad Pitt; Salman Khan.

They’re everywhere. At the mall trying out super-sexy sneakers next to you. At the club buying a drink next to you. And at the salon getting streaks next to you, iPod plugged in place.

Meet the ‘G-R-U-P-S’. Grups are Grown-Ups who are not quite so. Or as New York Times defined them — “the ascendant breed of grown-ups who have redefined adulthood as we once knew it and killed off the generation gap”.

The term Grups, writes NYT, can be traced to an episode of Star Trek in which Captain Kirk et al land on a planet of children who rule the world, with no adults in sight. The kids call Kirk and the crew “Grups,” which they eventually figure out is a contraction of grown-ups. It turns out that all the grown-ups had died from a virus that greatly slows the ageing process and kills anybody who grows up.

Cut back to earth: it seems Grups have infested the planet now. Walk into any mall, any airport lounge, hookah bar, music store or gym — you have 35 or 40-pluses around you in tees and shorts and that ‘I-am-so-cool’ look. You look at Bollywood — almost all our big stars are Grups. Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Manisha Koirala, and ‘Sexy Sam’ in KANK (though he is in his 60s) — they dress like they are in their 20s and act as if they are in their teens. Look at business — does Anil Ambani really need that white vest and headband? Let’s not even get started on the international scene. Grups must have begun life there, with Friends… and then Brad Pitt, who still goes on.

Going-to-turn-40 or touched-the-fearful-40 mark some time in the last 10 years — this is the demographics bit on the new syndrome. On a more descriptive note, they have a problem. With the consumerist boom and fixations with appearance and age, 30- or 40-somethings now find it tough to accept their age. They try and act with-it and more often than not, harbour an unbelievably long list of misconceptions about themselves. They are terminally young. (Or so they think)

The problem remains. As fashion designer Kiran Uttam Ghosh would like to say: “It is always important to understand your body and style, rather than trying to be someone you are not or once were.” But the tribe grows.

GoodLife explores further, the mind, body and soul of a Calcutta Grup.

All in the mind

Most would get tempted to use a conventional phrase like midlife crisis to describe the Grup phenomena, but not quite, says psychiatrist Shiladitya Ray. This global, post-modern era (mid-90s onwards) phenomena, he insists is very different from midlife crisis, and stems from three primary reasons. Here goes:

The society is opening up and is now heavily permissive of free interaction with the opposite sex. And by and large, both young, and old men believe that women whether young or elderly, actually prefer younger-looking men and vice versa. It is some sort of a social fashion to behave in a childish manner — to share common interests with teens and youngsters.

The most crucial and the psychoanalytical reason offers that both men and women are apprehensive about getting old or getting past their prime. They feel that time is running out. Result? End up doing things that are ultra-modern like Internet-chatting, partying or splurging.

And with all the above points setting so well in the Calcutta set-up, with more and more people in the city stopping their graph as a Grup, it is time to take stock. Following the footsteps of famous Grups? “Yes, indeed,” says Dr Ray, adding, “A large number of patients, both husbands and wives, complain of their spouse’s puerile behaviour these days.”

The solution, simply: understand your emotions and behave maturely. Do what is good but stay within limits. “Otherwise, there is a great risk of being identified by your young kids as an old brat,” says Dr Ray. Not only their kids but their non-Grup pals also find it unbearable to cope up at times. “Most Grups suffer from an inferiority complex that just worsens with age. They are an insecure lot who try and cover up with ‘what’s-wrong-with-what-I’m-doing’ attitude — an approach that is a mere tool of defence mechanism. Men go through it the most — sort of a male menopause thing, I suppose!” says a 46-year-old stuck in a group of Grups.

Fashion faults

“It seems that the older we get as a society, the harder we are trying to look youthful,” says city beauty expert Bridgette Jones. “Some things make me shudder,” adds Bridgette.

Style consultant Sunipa Samadder agrees: “When flab takes over flesh, cleavage becomes mere ribs and white linen trousers reveal more and conceal less. Love handles need to be handled well; don’t be fashion victims.”

These words may race images of Manisha Koirala through your mind, but finding your friendly neighbourhood Grup is easy too. Look hard. Or maybe not that hard either.

HOW TO KNOW THE GRUP GANG...

Likes to hang out: Absolutely any place that happens to be the hot spot for the moment. One day it is the newest CCD outlet and the other day it’s jostling for space with their son’s pals at the hookah bar Shisha. They still drop in at Someplace Else very often and have long checked out the Saturday scene at Venom and even Marrakesh.

Just watched: KANK but with special focus on the necklines and hemlines. And very teen-like, more than natural lust for the Bs.

Currently Reading: How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild and Got a Life.

Listens to: Everything that sounds or feels like hip-hop.

Typical wardrobe: Quintessentially anything that is hip, hot and happening, or so they hope! Orange capris, asymmetrical skirts, vests, cargo shorts and logo-tees. Lots of bling, bold and bare…

Current diet: Keeps changing from a GM to no-mixing-food-groups to low-carb-high-protein to banning refined food.

Current workout: No power-walks, they prefer a complex circuit training programme. Also, quite likely to believe in getting fit on the dance floor — merengue, hip-hop or jazz funk.