From Hollywood to Chennai: Prom comes to the city

In 10 Things I Hate About You , Kat Stratford walks into her senior prom donning an elegant strapless, sheath, purple dress despite her initial reluctance to attend. She stepped into a venue gleaming in shimmering lights, a live band performing, and that perfect happily-ever after moment where everything falls into place. Meanwhile, in Mean Girls , Cady Heron breaks her plastic tiara into pieces as a gesture of unity and rejection of class warfare; in High School Musical 3 , Troy and Gabriella sway at the night of nights prom. Prom has been immortalised as the grand finale of teenage years. Even horror found its way into prom lore with Carrie, blood-soaked and unforgettable, proving that no American coming-of-age story is ever complete without that one night of gowns, corsages, crowns, and chaos. But for Indians, especially in Chennai, these scenes existed only in English series and movies. Our school years end with farewell speeches, stiff photographs in auditoriums or grounds, and the occasional samosa and Fanta send-off. The closest thing to a coronation was the announcement of Best Outgoing Student, not Prom King and Queen. Prom, in all its pop culture glory, was an import we never really believed wed experience. Until now. This has already been the year of novel ideas Read: fake sangeets and weddings so it was only fitting that the city finally got its very own prom. A few West-inspired Chennaiites decided it was time to swap farewell speeches for slow dances, trade the tucked-in shirt and kurta dress code for corsages and tuxedos, and bring the dream sequence from the movies onto a local dance floor. West-side story Two weekends, two venues in Nungambakkam, and a whole lot of sequins later, Chennai can now claim to have hosted its first official prom. On August 22, Wrap Up Eventz, helmed by Syed Khan, transformed Secret Story, a restobar, into a formal prom set-up with drapes, disco lights, and a photo booth corner straight out of a Pinterest board. On September 6, a student-led community, En/D.Tainment, by Inti Muni Anish and Catherine Oviya, brought their version to Bhola & Blonde, another restobar, adding their own spin with a Cupid Pass for singles that doubled as a speed-dating ticket. For both the organisers, the decision to bring prom to Chennai was about chasing a long-standing fantasy. Weve all grown up watching these movies and imagining that kind of a night. I wanted to give young people here the chance to feel it for real, says Syed. Anish concurs, Growing up watching Hollywood, I have always wanted to experience the prom culture: ask a girl out for prom, dance with her, wear my best fit for the night. Since no schools here have the culture of prom, we dont have the privilege to experience that. It was a dream for all of us in our community, so we settled on this idea. The success of the Bhola & Blonde prom lay in months of meticulous planning for Anishs team. He talks about the learning curve, Dcor was a challenge because none of us were experts. We were learning as we went from Parrys Corner runs for golden tinsel to assembling disco balls ourselves. The thrill was in building something from scratch, imagining the prom we always wished wed had. On the contrary, Syed, given his experience in the field, was able to execute the prom within 20 days. He hosted a 21+ prom with alcohol. We had to keep everything legal and safe. Our confetti cannons went off all night, our bar was fully regulated, and the crowd got exactly what they came for a Hollywood-style prom in Chennai, he says. The event even featured a paparazzi entrance where attendees walked in with cameras flashing at them, recreating the red-carpet fantasy. For younger audiences, Anishs 18+ prom created a controlled atmosphere. We wanted to replicate the charm of prom movies, he says. But we also had something unique: the Cupids Pass. Singles could take part in a speed-dating game across six rounds, switching partners every five minutes. By the end, matches could form organically. For many, it wasnt just fun it led to connections that lasted past the night. The organising team picked eight girls and eight boys out of 300 registrations, after careful consideration through a questionnaire for the pass. Real reel moments Did the pop culture dream come true for the attendees? For some, the prom delivered exactly what theyd hoped for. Pranav SR, who also dreamed of attending a prom, stumbled upon the event on Instagram and signed up immediately. This was similar to the ones we all have seen in Hollywood while growing up, so this felt like living a dream. I even got paired up with a beautiful girl to get inside the venue. That never happened to me in real life, so I felt like I was in a movie, says the 19-year-old. The details dcor, DJ sets, couples twirling in slow motion were enough to seal the fantasy. But the bigger win was how inclusive the space felt. I noticed several people in different age groups and professions at the prom. It attracts people irrespective of their background, he says. For 21-year-old Pranav, the prom night managed to strike the perfect balance between familiar and fresh. The experience felt new and familiar at the same time. The concept of couples coming together is something great; however, the idea of matching singles with other singles through the Cupid Pass was new. The speed dating concept added a fun twist, he says. What stayed with him, though, was not the novelty but the mood of the night. When all my friends got together in a circle and were having a ball dancing, that was truly fun. And then seeing couples dance hand in hand to melancholic music it really created that romance-in-the-air vibe, he adds. Even with all the planning, organisers admit it was the spontaneous moments that made the nights memorable. Anish recalls, Seeing the couples dance to Careless Whisper was magical. Its surreal to watch a scene youve only seen on screen come alive in real life. Syed agrees, Watching everyone pose for the paparazzi, letting the confetti rain down, seeing people actually live their prom dreams that was priceless. The smiles, the laughter, the energy thats what we wanted. Nothing else mattered. Full steam ahead For some, the night was a reminder that reality doesnt always stick to the script. Ive seen so many movies that have the perfect prom scene, like 10 Things I Hate About You. All my favourite films have that one magical moment, so I wanted to experience it for myself, says M Harshini, 20. But her night turned out quieter than the movies promised. I was alone most of the night and felt lonelier than ever because everyone else had a date and they were all having fun, and dancing. I expected the opposite to happen but, oh well, she rues. Her bittersweet memory of watching her sister find romance on the dance floor while she sat back wasnt quite the Hollywood ending she hoped for. Yet, Harshini is glad these events now exist. A few decades back, no one even knew what prom was. Now, through social media and cultural exchange, we have our own prom in Chennai, which makes younger audiences socialise more and potentially find their person, she says. With 2025 proving that Chennai is ready to embrace a new social phenomenon, organisers are already sketching out bigger plans. Weve learned a lot this year about dcor, logistics, music, and community dynamics, Catherine says. Meanwhile, Syed is planning to host the next prom in January or February. The 2026 Prom would be in a larger venue, on a large scale, and will include the coronation moment. We want everyone to have a story theyll remember forever. Its about the experience, the memories, the fun. And the crowns are coming the Prom King and Queen of Chennai will finally have their moment on stage. Catherine concludes, Chennai Proms are not just about mimicking Hollywood. Theyre about creating a unique local culture, blending global dreams with local realities, and giving young people a night theyll never forget. This is only the beginning.