Behind hidden doors

The thrill of the secret entrance lives on in India's underground bar scene

- Chandreyi Bandyopadhyay

Inside India's metropolitan nightlife, whispered addresses and knowing nods can transport you to an entirely different world.

Behind hidden doors and concealed staircases, a new genre of bars are channeling the atmospherics of both 1920's American speakeasies and India's own clandestine revolutionary meeting places of the 1940's. The striking difference being curated culinary experiences, either with coffee culture or specialised wine or craft cocktail offerings.

The romance of a speakeasy bar begins with the hunt itself. Unmarked doors, entry codes, location not on maps but only shared through invites are driving their popularity, but there are also those backed by marketing and signages. You may find that door, but entry may still depend on other factors.

Mumbaikars in the know often slip past the familiar facades of Kala Ghoda Cafe, to discover a hidden door opening into a different realm. Kanika Singh, a professional baker, found the space that served as a wine bar and felt "it is the perfect place for post work catch up or a girl's night". It's the kind of discovery that makes you feel like you've stumbled upon a well-guarded secret, even though that's precisely the point. KMC, hidden craftily inside Ekaa, serves the same purpose, with an atmosphere honed by the cordiality of the hosts. The brand's Pirojshanagar outpost however is not a sequel but an extension, inside a hand-planted Miyawaki forest at The Trees.