Last Minute Plans: Bollywood Comes to North Side Gay Bar

By Joseph Erbentraut in Arts & Entertainment on Jan 29, 2010 9:15PM

And the dress code is, simply, "fabulous." Tonight, Trikone, a Chicago-Midwest group for LGBTQ South Asians, is set to host "Jai Ho: Bollywood Jalwa," the latest installment of a once-every-three-months party that has generated a lot of buzz in the community.

"Jai Ho" promises to be "all queer, all Bollywood, all night," beginning at 10 p.m. and running until 2 a.m. at Big Chicks, 5024 N. Sheridan, one of our favorite gay bars here at Chicagoist. At midnight, the evening will feature drag performances in the style of the iconic film style popularized last year by the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire. And proceeds from the evening - there is a $5 suggested donation - will be donated to Haitian relief efforts.

As Kareem Khubchandani, a Trikone spokesperson told Medill Reports last fall, "Jai Ho" provides a social opportunity for a community that often finds itself isolated from other gay gathering spots: “A lot of the bars and club spaces are very white ... It’s a chance for brown people to come together," he said. The organization, founded in 1998, reportedly has nearly 200 members now.

And although Trikone specifically caters to the city's South Asian LGBTQ community, it's event page reiterates that all - regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, national, racial, religious or ethnic background - are welcomed. "Jai Ho" provides a surefire opportunity to heat it up on this frigid evening, so bring on the bangra and give it a go.