Umbrellas, butterflies and first impressions — Mumbai’s singles didn’t let the monsoon rain dampen their search for love. The Bombay Times Life.Styled Club , hosted a speed dating event that brought together strangers looking to make real-life connections. From quirky ice-breakers and dare challenges to compliment rounds and two-minute dates, the evening was all about skipping the endless texting and meeting face-to-face. The event proved that for many singles, real conversations and face-to-face chemistry still hold an edge over swiping right.




‘Meeting someone in person is so much better’


For 26-year-old Priyanka Mahajan, the evening delivered exactly what she was looking for. She clicked with one participant during a two-minute speed date and is excited to see where the connection leads. “This event totally worked for me. Meeting someone in person is so much better than judging them through profile pictures,” she said.











‘Process of texting is exhausting’


Having attended a speed dating event in the past, Kishan Kavadia, in his 20s, believes the format is far more effective than dating apps. “You get to see a person’s body language and personality immediately,” he said.



For 26-year-old Mahima Kori, who learnt about the event through The Times of India ad, the experience was refreshing. “The whole process of texting someone and then meeting is exhausting. Meeting people physically saves so much time,” she said. Mahima interacted with several participants and received compliments from three people during a compliment round. While she connected with one of them, she admitted she was still hoping to speak to another participant who had caught her attention. “I’m going to continue talking to a couple of guys after this event,” she said.



The whole idea behind this meet-up was to move people from URL to IRL — to step away from digital screens, catfish profiles and endless matches, and instead meet people face-to-face. Real connections begin when you interact in person, and that’s exactly what we wanted participants to experience and embrace — Vatsal Sagar, social host



I’m old school. If I have to restart my life, I’d rather meet someone in person than through an app

— Priyanka Amar, 39-year-old, a single mother