Love it or hate it, you can't ignore it. Page 3 is here to stay — rubbing Prada shoulders, stepping on Blahnik shoes and all that occurs when the air-bussing set gathers under a vodka haze. Now, be prepared for the party to continue on the big screen with Madhur Bhandarkar's film Page 3, as well as on the stage with Rahul Da Cunha's play on the same subject.

‘‘Page 3 is indicative of a very powerful trend. Glamour has crept into every aspect of our lives. Today, you could have a fashion show with the top finance honchos on the ramp, while 10 years ago, that would have been unthinkable,'' says Rahul, who is putting the final touches to the as-yet-untitled play, ‘‘Everybody wants to be on Page 3 — from politicians to industrialists, even sportsmen.'' Rahul's play deals with a young politician throwing a party for securing a ticket from the swish South Mumbai constituency and how an unexpected gatecrasher changes the swing of things.

Madhur's film, in turn, focuses on a mediaperson, played by Konkona Sen Sharma, who is assigned the Page 3 beat. ‘‘My films put the spotlight on ordinary characters who find themselves in extraordinary circumstances,'' says Madhur, ‘‘The mediaperson in the film has to interact with the cream of society in the evenings and, paradoxically, catch the last train home to her rented flat. On the one hand, she is talking to the powerful set and, on the other, she leads a life which is far removed from the lifestyles she comes across.''

As the dynamics of the party scene evolve through champagne brunches and cigar nights, so do the variety of players — incomparable fodder for the drama-baazi that is the mainstay of theatre and cinema. And as directors, both Madhur and Rahul want to tap the gamut of emotions and power play that not-so-casual conversations over caviar conjure up. ‘‘The stakes have gone up. You will see the beginnings of new deals at a social do,'' says Rahul. ‘‘My film explores the emotional contrast which such situations bring about. There is so much drama, so many emotions one encounters at parties, and more often than not, one is expected to smile through this. The film explores the individual's reaction to the ongoing drama,'' says Madhur, who will start shooting in December. Now, how about a Veuve Clicquot toast to that?