Adulting, The Lego Way

More and more adults—from passionate collectors to mindful hobbyists—are now seeking a meaningful disconnect from a digitally heavy world—Bhavana Mandon, country manager, LEGO® India

- ADITHI REENA AJITH

WHO said toys are just for kids? With India's first LEGO® Certified Store recently opened in Gurugram, Delhi-NCR's adult fans are proving that building bricks isn't just child's play—grown-ups are now geeking out like kids in a candy store. Spread over 4,500 square feet at Ambience Mall, the store is the largest brand outlet in South Asia.

Although LEGO has traditionally been known as a children's brand, it has gained huge popularity among older fans too, with many complex sets rated 18+ specifically designed for the adult fanbase. "India is also where other countries are. While the core of our business continues to be driven by children—more and more adults are now getting serious about play!" says Bhavana Mandon, country manager, LEGO® India.

"From passionate collectors to mindful hobbyists to adults seeking a meaningful disconnect from a digitally heavy world, play is becoming an increasingly active part of adult lives."

Thirty-six-year-old AFOL (Adult Fans Of LEGO) Gursartaj Singh Nijjar entered the LEGO world as a young boy. "When I was a child, I liked building toys in general. I got my first set, a city airport set, from dad at nine. I remember spending a lot of time building it." It's the same for Ambrish Daga, 43, who recalls: "My father got a few sets from Denmark in the early 1990s." Daga enthusiastically mentions multiple set numbers, recalling playing with everything from a backhoe to pneumatic excavators as a child.