‘It is fun, harmless and always with an agenda’
Unlike other countries, in India we smile, flirt or chat only with people we know. So your regular traffic cop, hawker or shop-keeper never gets the random middle-of-the-day female attention.
In this environment, I use my feminine charm to skip a traffic signal or land a good bargain at a shopping street. Of course, it isn’t the ‘come hither’ or ‘aiming for a date’ variety of flirting. It is just to get your work done.
Speaking in Hindi, making a reference to Bollywood films/dialogues and sometimes comparing them to Salman Khan always works. It is fun, harmless and always with an agenda. Of course, I am careful, no flirting with the creepy kind.
- Garima Shah* (23), banking professional.
‘Keeps the mood light’
I always flirt with my colleagues. It is fun, keeps the mood at work light and easy and also allows me to test the waters. The outcome, in my experience, is always something good.
Either I become good friends or I land a date – both are a healthy way to start a relationship. Further, men are mostly suckers for female attention so there are times I get the men I flirt with to help me complete my assignment.
I have flirted with a boy at work as early as last week just so that he’d make advanced changes in my presentation. I think I might be getting too obvious now.
-Ananya Bhatt* (27), media professional.
‘I complemented her on her sari’
In college, I was pulled up for low attendance and had to meet the college counsellor. I got assigned to a young, fresh-from-college counsellor, who was the shy and nervous kinds. I walked in and complemented her on her sari and how lovely she looked – I know this is clichéd but it has always worked.
I then proceeded to cook up some story on how my health didn’t permit me to attend college regularly. She suggested I enroll for a counselling program with her, which I did. I would then pay her a visit daily; sit at her office drinking tea, chatting and flirting. It was wonderful – this program ensured that the college was working towards my well-being and for me it meant no visits to the Principal’s office.
I even gifted her rose on Rose Day. However, this wonderful arrangement lasted for only a semester, after which she left to get married.
-Raghav K* (26), chartered accountant.
‘We partied all night’
I have flirted a million times to get my work done but on my 25th birthday, my friends and I wanted to enter this fancy lounge in the city. It is this exclusive lounge bar that is very particular about its patrons. Our luck, the host was a lady.
I walked up to her and started chatting. Once, she warmed up I started flirting with her, complimenting her, looking for common interests, etc.
To my surprise she didn’t call in the bouncers, instead she let us into the lounge and then when her duty ended, she joined us at the bar. It was a great night. We partied till the wee hours of the morning.
-Suraj Khanna* (29), entrepreneur.
*All names have been changed in the text.
When was the last time you flirted with someone? How did it go? Share your experiences via comments or on Facebook.