On a cool December evening in Chennai, a journalist found herself in an unfamiliar apartment overlooking a lake on Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), surrounded by people she had never met. This was not her typical Saturday plan. She was there to experience firsthand a growing social phenomenon sweeping across Indian metros: structured, paid meetups for carefully vetted strangers.
The Rise of the Curated Connection
The journey began with a curious conversation months earlier. A friend in Bengaluru was cooking to host a gathering of strangers at his home. This led to the discovery of Perspectives, founded by Himanshu Gupta and Raghav Kohli, which organizes thematic conversations among curated groups who pay to attend. Suddenly, the concept seemed ubiquitous—a friend in Chennai hosted a pottery session for women, another attended a supper club at a stranger's home.
A search on Instagram revealed a burgeoning ecosystem of startups and communities built on a simple, powerful idea: helping urban Indians feel less alone. The formats—centered on food, travel, board games, or pure conversation—varied, but the intent was unified. In an era of remote work and relocated lives, where adult friendship is notoriously hard to forge, these platforms offer a designed solution to isolation.
An Evening at Third Space: Games, Food, and Easing Walls
To understand the trend, the journalist attended Third Space, run by Krishna Rubiga and Loshini Gnanasekar in Chennai. The paid "games-and-mini-bites" evening promised a curated, safe experience. The reality was surprisingly warm. Over rounds of Uno, Taboo, and shared food like mini pizzas and chickpea chaat, the initial journalist's guard melted away.
Conversations evolved from polite updates to discussions on world events and personal anxieties, punctuated by laughter and gentle teasing. Krishna expertly facilitated, ensuring no awkward silences. The attendees' reasons for coming were telling: a professional baker with empty weekends, someone seeking a break from family duties, a board game enthusiast, and a returnee finding her old city changed.
Safety was a clear priority. Founders Krishna and Loshini vet participants through LinkedIn, Instagram, and sometimes even government ID, a crucial step when inviting strangers into a home. For the journalist, the three hours felt light, low-effort, and unexpectedly restorative—a testament to the meetup's design.
Monetizing Loneliness: A Nationwide Search for Community
This experience confirmed a larger story. Further research on Instagram, Reddit, and LinkedIn uncovered a full-fledged economy forming around urban loneliness. Founders spoke of turning personal needs into businesses, emphasizing safety protocols and the joy of seeing friendships extend beyond events.
The most powerful insights came from participants. A 47-year-old jeweller from Jaipur had his daughter vet The Bonding Boulevard's founders before he attended their residential retreat. In Hyderabad, Siri uses the audio platform Frnd to daily connect with friends made online. In Mumbai, 32-year-old divorcee Riddhi has attended over 100 house parties via Playace, seeking fun and connection where her married friends' lives have diverged.
These initiatives differ from traditional book clubs or dating mixers. They are paid, curated, intentionally small, and focused purely on friendship and connection. They acknowledge an uncomfortable modern truth: despite constant digital communication, profound loneliness persists.
The trend highlights a significant shift in urban Indian life. As more people live away from hometowns and childhood networks, the demand for designed, safe spaces for platonic connection is rising. The fact that people are willing to pay for it underscores both the depth of the need and the value of the solution. In the end, these communities offer a quiet, intentional antidote to the isolation of contemporary city living, proving that sometimes, the most meaningful connections can begin with a room full of strangers.
