Pune: Board games in Indian homes were earlier largely about familiar rules, a little luck and a lot of arguing over whose turn it was next. That is changing now. A new generation of Indian designed tabletop games is helping players negotiate elections, build ancient cities, decode Bollywood clues and make strategic choices that can keep a table occupied for hours. These are games being made not just for children and family holidays, but for adults who are beginning to treat board gaming as a hobby in its own right.The shift has accelerated over the last five to seven years, fuelled by independent game designers, crowdfunding, board game cafés, community meetups and social media creators — who introduce new releases through Instagram, YouTube and live game sessions. The Covid-19 pandemic introduced many first-time players to the hobby and the momentum has continued as players increasingly seek games that reflect indigenous stories and culture.Founder of Pune-based board game community Game Baithak Manavi Dubey said, “Board games are a form of storytelling and we are finally telling our own stories now. Earlier, many games were built around western themes and characters. Today, we have games inspired by Indian history, politics and everyday life. Homegrown game designers are actively reaching out to communities like ours, because there is interest in such new India-made games.”Among the best known titles is political strategy game Shasn in which players contest elections by balancing ideology, public opinion and campaign promises. A typical game lasts around three hours and rewards negotiation, long-term planning and coalition building. Another popular title, Indus 2500 BCE, places players in the role of city planners in the Indus Valley Civilisation. They strategically develop settlements, manage water resources and expand cities while drawing inspiration from archaeological history.Dubey said the attention to Indian detail extended beyond gameplay. “In Indus 2500 BCE, the rulebook says the person who has visited an Indian historical monument should begin the game. As you play, you think about reservoirs, forests and how ancient cities managed water. You’re learning history through an immersive experience, without it feeling like a lesson,” she said.Shorter games are also finding enthusiastic audiences. Road Trip, published by Indian studio Quack Quack Games, challenges players to travel across Indian cities on the board — while learning facts about the country’s geography and culture. Party games such as Bollywood Battles rely on shared pop culture knowledge rather than strategy. Players identify Hindi films, songs and characters through emoji clues, costumes and visual prompts, making them particularly popular at large gatherings.“Recently, one meetup with 42 participants ended up becoming a marathon Bollywood Battles session because everyone wanted to keep playing,” said Krupa Halgekar, founder of Pune-based board game community Side Quest. “Since the references are so familiar, everyone gets involved instantly.”Unlike traditional family games that depended on luck, many modern Indian games encourage strategic thinking, negotiation, deduction and teamwork. Cooperative games, where players work together instead of competing against one another, are also drawing new followers.“The idea that there has to be only one winner is changing. People are willing to sit together for hours, keeping their phones aside, because the experience itself becomes the reward,” said Sharmila Joshi, a college student and board game enthusiast.Board game lounges are witnessing the same trend. Laveena Jain, founder of Game Fix on Pune’s MG Road, said Indian publishers are increasingly designing games that match international production quality, while remaining accessible to local players.“The quality of Indian games has improved tremendously over the last few years. Publishers are taking insights from international games and adapting them to an Indian context. Social deduction games are inspired by traditional playground favourites like Raja, Mantri, Chor, Sipahi, where players bluff, deceive and identify hidden roles. People usually come in groups, especially on weekends, and they gravitate towards games that everyone can participate in,” Jain said.The country’s tabletop scene is proving that board gaming no longer begins and ends with Ludo as Indian studios continue to release original titles rooted in local history, culture and humour. Instead, it is becoming a space where players can debate imaginary elections, build ancient cities, decode Bollywood films and rediscover India one game night at a time.
