Chennai’s latest craze: A rage room to have fun by breaking objects
The rage room is associated with destressing - a means to release stress or any pent-up emotions. The concept of a ‘rage room’ isn’t new; it has been around for a while.
Inside the Rage room
CHENNAI: In a world where stress and pent-up emotions often take centre stage, a unique concept has emerged as a way to blow off steam - the ‘rage room’. Known by various names like smash room or anger room, it’s a place where people can let loose and release their frustrations by destroying objects. While this trend likely originated in Japan, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including Chennai.
One month ago, restaurateur Arun introduced a ‘rage room’ adjacent to his Moonbow Cafe in Medavakkam. He explains the motivation behind this unconventional addition, saying, “The restaurant has PlayStation, jenga, and carrom boards. I was looking for something unique, something that hasn’t been done here yet. That’s how the idea of starting a rage room came about. We started it as an experiment, and it’s been quite successful. We’re planning to add more elements to the rage room.”
From Arun’s perspective, it’s all about having fun and enjoying a unique activity. However, psychologists view it as catharsis, a way for people to express extreme emotions by breaking objects. Arun notes, “The rage room is associated with destressing - a means to release stress or any pent-up emotions. The concept of a ‘rage room’ isn’t new; it has been around for a while. Our goal is to provide a fun activity and offer people a sense of relief from stress. Here, you can hurl bottles and demolish television sets or ceramics with a sledgehammer or bat. It’s a fun activity that you can’t experience anywhere else. Most importantly, this is not an alternative to counselling therapy.”
Arun recommends it as a group activity, with a minimum of two participants and a maximum of four. “Due to space limitations and safety concerns, we can’t accommodate more people. We also don’t allow solo participants for safety reasons; it’s either two or more.”
The rage room experience at Moonbow Cafe comprises two rooms. In one room, participants can unleash their fury by breaking things, while in the other room, they can rest and capture videos of the action. Safety is a top priority, and the establishment provides all necessary safety gear, including industrial suits, rubber boots, cut-resistant gloves, goggles, and helmets with face shields. The rage room operates from 1 pm to 7 pm, with each group allowed one hour, and bookings must be made in advance.
Arun has observed a diverse crowd visiting the rage room. “Around 50 per cent are youngsters between the ages of 20 and 25, while the rest are above 30 years old. We also see couples who come here to enjoy it as a fun activity.”
