NISHITA SHAH, RIDDLE ROOM

“I am a self-starter in a lot of ways as I constantly need to do something productive with my time” says Nishita Shah, Co-founder of Riddle Room. An excellent way to understand Nishita, would be to know more about the venture that she is so passionate about. The Riddle Room is a live escape room, a type of physical adventure game “where the lines between real world and fiction are blurred and where the seemingly mundane is brought vividly to life.” Players are closed inside a room and have to crack codes, ciphers and clues to make their escape in 60 minutes! (I am sitting at the edge of my seat as I type!) Now, need I say more about Nishita, the driving force behind a concept so new to India? A Vice President in Goldman Sachs, a puzzle buff and a big fan of Sherlock homes, Nishita found a perfect business partner in her husband Venky who himself is an avid gamer.

When she explained how it all came together, I was left intrigued. With a background in commerce and no programming skills Nishita and her husband went all in with their savings and with an open mind. She worked on the storyline, conceptualized the puzzle ciphers, put together each room with interior designers and worked with engineers to build electronic puzzles. After 8 months of hard work, lots of highs and a smattering of lows – the first Riddle Room was set up. The learning curve was steep, the hours were long and the effort – all worth it in the end! Nishita excitedly shares, “we set up our second centre a year after starting up and are looking to further expand!”. Her message to all the readers was just as refreshing as the Riddle Room’s concept – “Nothing is too big to achieve. We spend way too much thinking about the ifs and buts and this often comes in the way of success. If you believe in your dream and are passionate about it, then just go for it!”