Romance - Who Needs It?

A few days ago, the world celebrated International Women's Day. It's all about women being empowered. If you ask me, women are pretty liberated and empowered already. In fact, it's the men who are becoming increasingly domesticated. Men go to chick flicks, do the laundry; even change nappies. And that's not all. Men are no longer embarrassed to get soppy - to get in touch with their inner selves.

But a silent revolution is underway. Unable to bear the demands of the modern woman, an increasing number of Indian male yuppies are making the dramatic decision of banning romance from their lives. These anarchists are taking a stand against what they regard as emotional manipulation. It is in reaction to this decimation of the alpha male, this creation of a comical character called a good modern husband, that an increasing number of men are rejecting romance altogether. No more wooing the average girl in the office, succumbing to her feminine wiles; and then putting up with her inevitable tantrums. Not when they have discovered ways of satiating their carnal needs - exotic sex tours and high-end prostitutes.

Take the attitude of this 27-year-old advertising professional from Delhi. He believes in hard work, hard cash, and holidays in Thailand, Amsterdam and Rio. He says with the excitement of a new convert, "Earlier, I would meet a pretty girl in the office and try to strike up a conversation. It would take considerable effort to cut through her airs and graces and get talking. The topic of the conversation would be a pain to me, but I would pretend to enjoy every moment. After a few days she would be ready to go out for coffee. This would be followed by a mind-numbing movie. Then, another round of coffee. A month would have passed by now. I would still be in hot pursuit. A few weekends later would come the big day for dinner. After the dinner I would, chivalrously, drop her home. And the next day, just when I would expect my big moment to come, I would find her chatting animatedly with the idiot from marketing. What a waste of effort."