All of us have days when we want to smash something and release the pent-up anger and stress.
Yet, we hold ourselves back because breaking things in a fit of rage is socially unacceptable.
And let’s face it, most of us would not want to reduce our own belongings to bits.
But there is some good news for those who want to let off some steam.
Go on a rampage
A new place, aptly called Breakroom, is the perfect place to vent frustration. The idea is simple. If you are stressed, just come here and break things.
Located in the basement of Gurugram’s popular Sector 29 market, the place arms you with a metal rod and allows you to go on a rampage.
Done up like a living room, Breakroom lets you smash cups, plates, TV sets, computer screens, furniture and refrigerators. But not before the staff here ensures that the ‘smasher’ gets into a bodysuit and a helmet.
No holds barred
Each session at Breakroom, which became operational in January, lasts between two and 15 minutes.
A basic session costs ₹199 for two minutes, allowing you to attack furniture and refrigerators.
All you need to do to smash TV sets, utensils and computer screens is shell out some extra money.
The brainchild of Sanwari Gupta and her business partner Akshat Garg, the idea came up during their trip to the US.
“Dallas has an Anger Room that is quite popular among office-goers. In India, too, stress levels run high among professionals, which is why we thought of Breakroom,” said Akshat.
Some hiccups
But it wasn’t a smooth ride. The duo met with resistance from their parents. “Our parents didn’t know how to react. They wondered where we got the idea from,” Sanwari recalled.
“But considering we were confident, they agreed,” she said.
Young clientèle
The duo, who expected to cater to professionals in the 30 to 40 years age group, were left surprised. Most of their clients are in their early 20s who come here to experience the novel concept.
Speaking of one such client, Sanwari said, “A boy in his 20s called us and said he was angry with life and wanted to smash everything at Breakroom. Honestly, we were anxious. Our staff was instructed to keep an eye on him,” she added.
Later, the boy told them that he had gone through a bad ‘break-up’ and was looking to release his anger and frustration.
“He was calm when he left,” Sanwari added. But what about the risks? Ask Akshat if the place promotes violence and he says the staff monitors every client. Till date, he said, they hadn’t come across anyone getting violent.
“Many studies have proved that breaking things helps release stress. It is therapeutic,” he added.
