Lobo Lobo and the 80s look

Illustration/Uday Mohite

Lobo Lobo came over with a headfull of hair, sporting a flowery shirt, and slightly flared pants and shiny shoes.

"Groovey, peace out, Dikuna men," he said with some flair.

"Uh Lobo Lobo… why are you speaking and looking like a 70s disco star."

"See men, Dikuna men, let me tell you straight straight. I was de total king in de later part of de 70s but full to in de 80s, I was like dat John Travolota, excpt for me it was every-night fever."

"Lobo Lobo, in my understanding, this new trend that all netizens are following, of looking like you did in the 80s is AI inspired, and it is supposed to be limited to Instagram and social media. You don't have to actually dress up and behave like you're in the 80s, speak like an 80s person… got it?"

"See men, Bossie, let me make you unnersand, men. I don believe in all dese trends unless you make dem part and parcel of life. It cannot be dat you jus put your present photo into dat whachyoucall Chat and GBT, you have to become dat earlier version of yourself. Den it makes sense - lemmme tell to you Dikuna men, in de 80s, full 80s, starting '81 till end of'89, i was de king pin of dat our area. Akshully I was king of all all areas - Bandra to Bhandup and Ghatkoper to Thane, arrey in de day, I was like one Pele mixed into Maradona. I was a footer wizard, I leaded my company Glaxose to de Durand cup title men, arrey men froo-froo fring fring I used to dribble de ball, like it was attached to my foot oly. De young peeuples used to put up posters of me on dere walls.

Dis I used to do I de day-den I would become anudder persona by night.

You see men, Dikuna, I was a socko dancer. Ohohooh, I was a dancer like anyting, you name de form and I was de best men, I was twinkle toes in my dancing shoes - I was espert in samba, ramba, fandango, fox trot, jive, salsa, chachacha, I could do all all styles.

You sees, I was de movie buff also, so I would see dose Errol Flynn and all Fred Stairs movies… I could do ballroom also.

But my turning point was seeing dat Saturday Night Fever movie, see wen it came to Bombay, I seed it in one teatrer night show. dis was late seventies arey Dikuna I practiced every day and night, and by 1980, I was the desi verjen of day John Travolota - sweeeng- weeng I was like dat makhan of de dance floor. I would go to all de discos in all over Bombay, dere was ROCK IN DE CLOC in our side dat Maim ony, dere was BANARARAMAM in dat Mazagon wid dat big dance floor, and in Chembur dere was INS HELLO DOLLY JOLLY, full to it was like a ship men. I would dance in de centre and all de peeupls would watch from de top, ufff I had mastered dat song ‘You Should be Dancing', arre all all de fans would watch me men, how I moved around de dance floor, left, right, centre, I would do full split only."

"So where do you intend to go from here Lobo Lobo?"

"See men Dikuna groovy, I'm off to do some more disco dancing in our dat Virar side, I am taking part in one disco dancing competition, but since the Navratri is round de corner. We have to do de disco steps wid Navratri - Garba edge - so I have made up my own song it is called ‘ STAYING ALIVE KEM CHHO'."

Rahul daCunha is an adman, theatre director/playwright, filmmaker and traveller. Reach him at rahul.dacunha@mid-day.com