As the number of events taking place in the city increases, so does the demand for bodyguards. Now, several agencies in Chennai are focusing on hiring educated, refined men and women for the role
Illustration: Saai
Chennai:
Hence, it is not difficult to spot the beefed-up guards, dressed in black in almost all events— be it a wedding or a celebrity programme. And what’s more, being a bouncer is not a male bastion any more.
Earlier, political heavyweights and top celebrities would hire bodyguards and keep them around whenever they stepped out. Matinee idol and former chief minister MG Ramachandran could be called a pioneer in hiring bodyguards for personal safety.
But things have changed over the years. Now, such is the demand for such professionals that agencies have taken to hiring hire graduates and women as bodyguards.
“It was an unorganised profession till five years ago and random bulky men would be picked up from gyms if bouncers were required for an event, but now there are dedicated agencies with at least 100 men in each of them. So they know what they are supposed to do when they arecalled for work,” says Aadhi Sekhar, a former bouncer who worked an agency called Jaguars Security Services and is now employed as a floor manager at a mall.
While bouncers were initially getting paid anywhere between Rs 100 and Rs 300 to stand guard at pubs for eight hours, now bodyguards earn up to Rs 3,000 per day apart from getting food and petrol allowance. If it is an outstation job, they get paid Rs 5,000 and have all their basic requirements taken care of.
“Those who go as personal bodyguards for celebrities get Rs 35,000 per month,” says Sathiya Sundaram, CEO of The Expandables Bouncers Security Services. He adds that he has about 50 well-educated bodyguards, some of whom work full-time, and a handful of lady guards for different kinds of events.
While his team of bodyguards has been roped in for several award functions, TV shows, cricket matches and movie functions held in the city, Sathiya says he looks also for interpersonal skills apart from physique while recruiting bodyguards.
“A good physique is a must for a bodyguard and one should be well-built and be at least 5 feet 10 inches to become a bodyguard. They should stand out in the crowd and people should realise that he is a bodyguard at just a glance,” says Sathiya.
“Since we cater to different kinds of events, it’s an additional benefit if the potential candidates know Hindi and English. Also, they should know how to behave in public, control the crowd without being rude to them and conduct themselves well in front of celebrities. So, most of my team members are graduates. A few of them, including me, are also engineers,” he adds. Sathiya has completed mechanical engineering in a private college and worked in an automobile manufacturing company before starting Expandables Bouncers. “I used to go to the night clubs as a bouncer and after seeing the potential in the field, I started a company of my own and registered it,” he says.
Corporates too want bodyguards
While Expandables has been providing its bouncer services to leading celebrities for a while now, the latest to join the clientele are the corporate houses. “Corporate companies too want bodyguards for their events, but their requirements are different. They want us to come in blazers and assist guests. Whereas during wedding functions, such as sangeet, they want bouncers to control the queue leading up to the stage to meet the couple,” he says.
Aadhi says he recently sent bouncers to a wedding in Puducherry where they guided the couple to dais. “Unless it is a celebrity wedding, bouncers are not needed. But some family want bouncers to be present as a special attraction for their guests,” he says.
Not a male bastion
If the word “bodyguard” brings to your mind a tall and bulky man with veins bulging out of pumped up biceps, Christy Jeyaseeli will make you think again.
At 36, Christy has been working as a bouncer at a manufacturing unit for a year. She had taken up the job as a means of additional income, but now Christy says she likes the job.
“A colleague had told me about this opportunity. Initially, there were apprehensions about safety and my family members were reluctant, but soon I realised that it is one of the safest jobs,” she says. Her work involves checking women visiting the pubs and ensuring their safety. “Women bodyguards can stay at the place of work overnight and there is a drop facility. So there is little to worry about when it comes to our safety,” Christy says.
“The demand for women guards have increased manifold. We receive requests from pubs, weddings and even for women celebrities. At pubs, they make sure that the women are safe and report to us if there is anything going wrong,” says Sathiya. “Also, women feel more at ease to approach them if they had to complaint about someone. In case a lone woman falls unconscious at a party, the women guards attend to them and even drop them home if needed. Similarly, many actresses have begun to prefer women as body guards,” he adds.
Engineering graduate builds body, turns into bouncer
Sathya (27) of Korukkupet, an engineering graduate, who was passionate about body building, started going to pubs as a bouncer for some extra money. Now, however, it has become his full-time job as it keeps busy at least 25 days a month.
“Earlier, the options were limited. But now, events are being held day and night. Since it makes me a good amount of money, it has become my full-time profession, though my family does not like it,” says Sathya. But, he fears about future opportunities as he is not sure of more offers as he gets older. “Our physique is our investment in this profession. So, in case if we fall sick and suffer an injury, it would take days together get fit again to become a bodyguard. And I’m not sure how the profession will develop over the years,” he says.
According to Sathiya Sundaram, however, people can continue to work as bodyguards till they are 50 years as long they maintain their physique.
Being a bodyguard was an unattractive part-time job. But, that was until about five years ago. Now, it has now evolved into a profession of its own and there are a number of agencies in the city that provide services of dedicated personal bodyguards or bouncers.
Hence, it is not difficult to spot the beefed-up guards, dressed in black in almost all events— be it a wedding or a celebrity programme. And what’s more, being a bouncer is not a male bastion any more.
Earlier, political heavyweights and top celebrities would hire bodyguards and keep them around whenever they stepped out. Matinee idol and former chief minister MG Ramachandran could be called a pioneer in hiring bodyguards for personal safety.
But things have changed over the years. Now, such is the demand for such professionals that agencies have taken to hiring hire graduates and women as bodyguards.
“It was an unorganised profession till five years ago and random bulky men would be picked up from gyms if bouncers were required for an event, but now there are dedicated agencies with at least 100 men in each of them. So they know what they are supposed to do when they arecalled for work,” says Aadhi Sekhar, a former bouncer who worked an agency called Jaguars Security Services and is now employed as a floor manager at a mall.
While bouncers were initially getting paid anywhere between Rs 100 and Rs 300 to stand guard at pubs for eight hours, now bodyguards earn up to Rs 3,000 per day apart from getting food and petrol allowance. If it is an outstation job, they get paid Rs 5,000 and have all their basic requirements taken care of.
“Those who go as personal bodyguards for celebrities get Rs 35,000 per month,” says Sathiya Sundaram, CEO of The Expandables Bouncers Security Services. He adds that he has about 50 well-educated bodyguards, some of whom work full-time, and a handful of lady guards for different kinds of events.
While his team of bodyguards has been roped in for several award functions, TV shows, cricket matches and movie functions held in the city, Sathiya says he looks also for interpersonal skills apart from physique while recruiting bodyguards.
While bouncers are still recognised by their physique and black attire, it is no longer only a man’s job as women like Christy Jeyaseeli (Right) too have become bodyguards and are in high demand, say agencies
Physique and conduct must
“A good physique is a must for a bodyguard and one should be well-built and be at least 5 feet 10 inches to become a bodyguard. They should stand out in the crowd and people should realise that he is a bodyguard at just a glance,” says Sathiya.
“Since we cater to different kinds of events, it’s an additional benefit if the potential candidates know Hindi and English. Also, they should know how to behave in public, control the crowd without being rude to them and conduct themselves well in front of celebrities. So, most of my team members are graduates. A few of them, including me, are also engineers,” he adds. Sathiya has completed mechanical engineering in a private college and worked in an automobile manufacturing company before starting Expandables Bouncers. “I used to go to the night clubs as a bouncer and after seeing the potential in the field, I started a company of my own and registered it,” he says.
Corporates too want bodyguards
While Expandables has been providing its bouncer services to leading celebrities for a while now, the latest to join the clientele are the corporate houses. “Corporate companies too want bodyguards for their events, but their requirements are different. They want us to come in blazers and assist guests. Whereas during wedding functions, such as sangeet, they want bouncers to control the queue leading up to the stage to meet the couple,” he says.
Aadhi says he recently sent bouncers to a wedding in Puducherry where they guided the couple to dais. “Unless it is a celebrity wedding, bouncers are not needed. But some family want bouncers to be present as a special attraction for their guests,” he says.
Not a male bastion
If the word “bodyguard” brings to your mind a tall and bulky man with veins bulging out of pumped up biceps, Christy Jeyaseeli will make you think again.
At 36, Christy has been working as a bouncer at a manufacturing unit for a year. She had taken up the job as a means of additional income, but now Christy says she likes the job.
“A colleague had told me about this opportunity. Initially, there were apprehensions about safety and my family members were reluctant, but soon I realised that it is one of the safest jobs,” she says. Her work involves checking women visiting the pubs and ensuring their safety. “Women bodyguards can stay at the place of work overnight and there is a drop facility. So there is little to worry about when it comes to our safety,” Christy says.
“The demand for women guards have increased manifold. We receive requests from pubs, weddings and even for women celebrities. At pubs, they make sure that the women are safe and report to us if there is anything going wrong,” says Sathiya. “Also, women feel more at ease to approach them if they had to complaint about someone. In case a lone woman falls unconscious at a party, the women guards attend to them and even drop them home if needed. Similarly, many actresses have begun to prefer women as body guards,” he adds.
Engineering graduate builds body, turns into bouncer
Sathya (27) of Korukkupet, an engineering graduate, who was passionate about body building, started going to pubs as a bouncer for some extra money. Now, however, it has become his full-time job as it keeps busy at least 25 days a month.
“Earlier, the options were limited. But now, events are being held day and night. Since it makes me a good amount of money, it has become my full-time profession, though my family does not like it,” says Sathya. But, he fears about future opportunities as he is not sure of more offers as he gets older. “Our physique is our investment in this profession. So, in case if we fall sick and suffer an injury, it would take days together get fit again to become a bodyguard. And I’m not sure how the profession will develop over the years,” he says.
According to Sathiya Sundaram, however, people can continue to work as bodyguards till they are 50 years as long they maintain their physique.
Event Details
Each agency has about 50 to 100 bodyguards for hire. They can be hired for the following programmes or people:
- Personal bodyguards to movie celebrities and politicians
- Bouncers for big weddings
- Music concerts
- Corporate events
- Cricket matches
- Fashion shows
- Movie audio launches
- College cultural shows
- Pubs and bars
15 agencies in the city to provide private bodyguards (approximate figure)