In these post-demonetisation days, one is often tempted to rob a bank. Making that wicked fantasy come alive for you is a place aptly called The Amazing Escape (TAE). The newest addition to the entertainment hub that Kamala Mills in Lower Parel, Mumbai, has become, TAE is an escape adventure games centre on the lines of Clue Hunt, but bigger and with more variety.
Getting into the spirit…
TAE features locked-room mysteries where a team of players has to solve multiple clues within the span of one hour. You start off in a plush and well-appointed reception area where the Game Masters welcome you with water and Tetrapak juice along with a key to a personal locker where you can stash your belongings. I liked that they also have a charging point inside each locker so you can juice up your phone while it waits outside for you. A thoughtful touch indeed, which probably comes from the fact that TAE has been conceptualised by architect/designer Pakshal Sanghvi and his wife Poonam, along with their friend and business partner Sandeep Pagaria.
Leading off from this plush parlour, are seven air-conditioned rooms housing seven types of mysteries that you can decipher, each with a different theme and varying level of difficulty.
The seven mysteries on offer at The Amazing Escape
The one we tried was a Bank Heist and the four of us felt like the Beagle Boys as we dashed around unearthing various cleverly-hidden clues. There were multiple combination locks, some clues that required a bit of tech-savvy, some that needed you to make connections and leaps of imagination and others that required pure physical perseverence and agility. When we found ourselves stuck, we were allowed to ask for hints but each one added precious minutes to our total time so we tried our best to do with as few as possible. It was sometimes frustrating but always interesting and exhilarating!
Friends having a blast at The Amazing Escape
Once our time was up and we had escaped the room, we were ushered back into the parlour for a debrief, then offered fun props and the backdrop of a decadently red velvet couch for a crazy photo session. My friends and I are certainly going to go back for more!
What happens to peeps who fail to solve clues and escape the locked rooms of The Amazing Escape! Just kidding 😉
Just a few months old in Lower Parel, Mumbai, The Amazing Escape guys are already setting their sights on a branch in Andheri. Their Indiranagar outlet in Bengaluru is also going great guns, so it’s not surprising that early expansion is on the cards.
My Verdict: I think it’s a super way to stay indoors in the high heat of our city’s summer or heavy rains and still enjoy activities that are both physically and intellectually stimulating. Accommodating 4-8 players per room and suitable for ages 10 and up, it’s perfect for friends, families, corporate team-building events and birthday bashes.
Details: Open daily from 11am to 9pm at The Amazing Escape, Basement, Trade House, Opposite Beer Cafe, Kamala Mills, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel West. Call +91 9004242044 to book. Pricing starts from Rs 3200 per room and varies depending on number of players and day of the week.
