Chennai’s surprise planners are turning every celebration into an adventure

Chennai surprise planners offer unique and creative surprises, from mini-theatre celebrations to virtual surprises, catering to growing demand.

“A lot of us are familiar with the classic flash mob surprise for birthdays in malls and parks, right? It is a timeless hit, but we are constantly on the lookout for more creative ideas,” says Sri Akash Venugopal, the surprise planner behind Mystery Box in Chennai. “We keep brainstorming new ways to surprise our clients; otherwise, we would risk getting lost in the crowd,” he adds.

Mr. Venugopal started his business in 2017 while still in college, with small surprises. He says he’s still in the game owing to the growing demand. “Back in college, I used to hand out my business card, but my classmates would tease me. Now, I get around 60 orders a month,” he says.

Lately, for the Chennai crowd that has been leaning to booking surprises, mini-theatres and yacht celebrations, are stealing the show. “Many clients who want to surprise their family members on birthdays, anniversaries, and other occasions often pick a mini-theatre surprise package, and that’s where our role begins. We rent a private demo theater where the curated surprise element pops up on the movie screen,” says Mr. Venugopal.

“This has quickly become the most sought-after trend in town, alongside the yacht rides, completing the birthday bash with singers and guitarists,” he explains. As for Valentine’s Day, these surprise planners are swamped with 40 or more clients.

Priyanka. G and Deepak. R., the minds behind The Majors and Minors surprise planners for over nine years now, found their signature surprise during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We had to adapt during the pandemic, and that’s how virtual surprises took off. We still have demand for this as we get about a 100 bookings a month for virtual surprises and about 50 in-person ones,” says Ms. Priyanka. Most of their virtual clients are Tamils living in Singapore, Dubai, and the U.K., all looking for a little surprise that connects them with Chennai. The surprise planners hop on the calls with guitarists, singers, as well as a theme to go by.

The surprise planners have seen a big shift in what people want. “These days, the Chennai crowd seeks out-of-the-box ideas,” says Mr. Venugopal.

“We have even rolled out a ‘wake-up surprise’ where someone opens their eyes to a balcony serenade — just like a scene out of a movie,” he adds.