Mumbai, July 17: The dance bars were once considered the jewel in the crown of Mumbai's non-stop night life -- until they were banned and shut down in August 2005.
Unique to the maximum city which never slept, dance bars had scores of young girls or women dancing away to blaring Bollywood numbers with colourful lights, a hazy airconditioned atmosphere reeking of the smell of cigarette smoke and liquor, plus food.
The patrons, mostly youth or wealthy businessmen, tourists both domestic and international, enjoyed an "interactive" session with the dancers by showering them with currency notes.
At times, depending on how regular the patrons were, they were even permitted to shake a leg under the strict watch of bouncers.
