Paid conversations, safe spaces: How India is monetizing loneliness

₹599 and ₹999 per person, with Perspectives taking a 20% commission.If the loneliness economy has a defining characteristic, it is that many of its founders did not arrive with market research or business plans. Most began by trying to solve a personal, unmet need.Originally from Tamil Nadu’s textile hub of Tiruppur, Krishna Rubiga moved to Chennai for work in 2024 and struggled to make friends. Singles mixers felt crowded and transactional.

Dating apps felt misaligned. Eventually, she turned to Bumble’s BFF mode, where she met Loshini Gnanasekar.“We realized there was no real safe space for young people who were not from Chennai to hang out, be themselves and make friends,” Rubiga told Mint.In August, they launched Third Space by Losh and Krish as a weekend-only strangers meetup hosted in Gnanasekar’s living room. Food cooked by Gnanasekar, an information technology professional, anchors each gathering, but the evenings are structured around games and guided conversation.

Earlier this December, they hosted a game night and mini-bites evening with eight attendees, charging ₹999 per head.As they played Uno, Taboo and word games, conversations drifted from India’s education system to anxieties about caring for ageing parents. “Sometimes it can feel like group therapy,” said Rubiga, who is a sustainability consultant. “People open up very quickly.”In Kolkata, Adi Roy arrived at a similar destination by a different route.

After completing his education, he watched as most of his friends moved away. He stayed back, facing empty weekends. “I felt there must be more people facing the same thing,” he said.What began as informal hangouts evolved into the Awaara Community, founded in 2023.