Beyond cafés and movies: Pune’s young adults are choosing escape rooms for their next Outing

While the concept has existed internationally for years, escape rooms are still relatively new in India. However, organisers say the growing interest in experience-based entertainment, combined with social media visibility, has contributed to their rising popularity among Gen Z and young working professionals.

A poster of the games available. (Express Photo)

According to Bhoomika Aditya, Centre Manager at Paheli Escape Rooms, the idea behind the concept was to create immersive experiences rather than just another recreational space.

“People don’t just want places to visit anymore, they want stories to live through,” she said. “We wanted to create a space where people could forget their daily routine for a while, work together, bond and leave with memories they’d keep talking about long after the game ended.”

She added that audiences today are actively searching for experiences that feel interactive and different from conventional entertainment. “A few years ago, most people had never even heard of the concept. Today, audiences are actively looking for unique experiences beyond malls, movies and cafés,” she said.

A similar sentiment was echoed by the owners of ResQRoom – Narendra Nalamwar and Minal Nalamwar. According to them, the escape room was created not only as a recreational activity but also as a response to increasing dependence on technology and artificial intelligence.

“In today’s world, we are becoming increasingly dependent on AI and technology,” they said. “From using calculators for simple calculations to relying on AI even for writing birthday wishes, we are gradually losing the joy of using our own minds and creativity.”

The owners explained that escape rooms encourage participants to think critically, communicate and solve challenges collectively within a fixed time limit. The appeal, they say, lies in the combination of thrill, teamwork and problem-solving.
Unlike passive forms of entertainment, escape rooms require players to actively participate. Teams are placed inside themed rooms where they must solve clues, unlock puzzles and complete tasks before the timer runs out. Themes range from suspense and adventure to crime and fantasy-based missions. For example, at ResQRoom one of the games titled Yin Yang revolves around restoring balance between opposing forces through symbolic puzzles, while The Bank Heist places participants inside a high-pressure robbery mission. Another room, The Riddlers Den, challenges teams to stop a fictional villain from draining the city’s intelligence.

Bhoomika describes these games as “mind-bending” experiences built around mystery, storytelling and collaboration. “It’s not just about finding clues; it’s about the excitement of figuring things out together under pressure,” she said.

The participants visiting these spaces said the experience stood apart from conventional outings because of the level of involvement, communication and problem-solving it demanded.

“We actually used our minds in this one,” said Arni Goja, a participant at the Mystery Rooms. “In the era where everybody is just doom scrolling, one has to actually get up and use all the brainpower to solve these not-so-easy puzzles, making it more interesting.”

“Panicking doesn’t work here,” said Anurag Shukla, another participant. “It’s purely teamwork, one cannot solve it alone as every piece has been kept there with lots of thought,” he added.

“It’s fun, everyone is actually involved,” said Saloni Yadav. “It has lasers, tunnels and lots of other things which makes it more thrilling.”

In a time increasingly dominated by screens and digital interactions, Pune’s growing escape room culture appears to offer something many young people are now seeking – shared experiences, real-time interaction and the thrill of solving something together.

The writer is an intern at the Pune office of The Indian Express.