With the rise of leisure activities in India, Indian families or households are increasingly turning to the FEC (Family Entertainment Centers) sector such as indoor amusement zones and family fun centres, providing multi-activity recreational experiences to the customer. One brand that has majorly prioritized and invested in this sector is Playaza Entertainments.
‘‘Playaza Entertainment is an FEC focused brand, creating quality indoor amusement experiences in a safe and memorable way,’’ says Niyas Ahmed, CEO, Playaza Entertainments.
Origin of the Brand
Founded in 2018, this FEC brand was backed by Malabar Group, renowned for its diverse and high-quality amusement attractions, video games, redemption games, novelty games, bowling alleys, softplay area, trampoline parks and ND cinema with international quality and standards.
The brand aims to create a happy and memorable experience for its customers and to become a leading provider of leisure and entertainment offerings in the country by offering quality service, spreading fun and excitement through unique family experience and creating a benchmark in the FEC Industry.
‘‘Our vision is to bring multiple, safe entertainment experiences under one roof,’’ says Niyas.
Brand’s Footprint and Expansion Strategy
The brand has a strong presence in Kerala and aims to expand to other significant cities in South India.
Talking about the brand expansion, Niyas said, ''The brand has expanded across Kerala, present in all major cities such as Trivandrum, Calicut, Kochi and Thrissur in Kerala. We are still looking for more opportunities in Kerala. Apart from that, we have signed a deal to expand our presence in Mangalore, opening two FECs over there shortly. One of the FECs will be unveiled at Nexus Mall while another location is yet to be finalized.''
He adds that the brand is in discussion with a few malls in Bangalore, Mysore and Coimbatore to expand its presence in these regions as well. He further reveals that once Playaza completes the expansion in South India and then it will plan to expand its footprint in North India.
Discussing the brand’s expansion strategy, Niyas said, ‘‘Our strategy is to build Playaza as a strong, scalable entertainment brand, providing a safe, premium, and a unique family entertainment experience.''
He adds that while franchising is a powerful tool to accelerate our expansion, our current strategy is to focus on company-operated stores. However, we see a huge scope in the franchising model for expansion.
Customer Acceptance and Safety of Its Centres
Talking about the customer acceptance of the brand in Kerala and safety of its centres, Niyas shared, ‘‘We are very happy with the response our customers gave us across Kerala. They have accepted Playaza Entertainment as their own brand and one of the most preferred destinations for kids to come and have a wonderful experience.’’
He further shares that the reason for the acceptance is mainly the kind of service that the brand provides, with a strong focus on safety, fun ambience and better customer experience.
‘‘We always make sure that all customers who visit us go back with a very happy and memorable experience. And regarding safety, we are bringing all our rides from the leading manufacturers in the world. Most of our rides are imported from Italy, with a very good technical team to ensure that nothing wrong happens to our customers as customer safety is our highest priority,’’ says Niyas.
What Motivates the Malabar Group to Diversify into the FEC Sector?
Niyas further shared about how Malabar Group diversified into the FEC sector.
Recalling the journey he said, ‘‘Malabar has a shopping mall called Mall of Tranvancor, which started in 2018 in Trivandrum. So when Malabar was developing this shopping mall, we were looking for some FEC brand which can provide a differentiated experience to the customers. Apart from the typical arcade gaming, we wanted to give an indoor amusement experience to the customers.’’
He adds, ‘‘At that time there was no brand which could serve this purpose. So Malabar Group decided to develop its own brand that can provide quality entertainment. So that's how Malabar reached this unique FEC concept of indoor amusement concept and Playaza Entertainments came into existence.’’
He further shared that once the Group started this concept, there was a huge acceptance from the customer, and the brand then decided to scale this business.
‘‘Today, Malabar Group is very actively looking at this business because the FEC opportunity is very good now in India, and evolving day by day,’’ said Niyas.
Brand Building Initiatives
Discussing about Playaza Entertainment brand building initiative, Niyas said, ‘‘When we launched our Kochi and Thrissur outlet in the month of October and December, we collaborated with #PearleManey, marking a significant step in strengthening our brand presence in Kerala. As a respected public figure and a leading influencer in Kerala, Perle Maney not only brought immense goodwill to the brand but also helped us to reach a wider customer base in the new market, building a deep connection with the community and values that resonate deeply with Playaza Entertainment mission and vision.’’
He shared that the brand also hosts an exclusive kids fashion show, called Playaza Kids Fashion Runway every year which is by far the biggest kids fashion show in Kerala. He further reveals that digital marketing plays a pivotal role in promoting the brand.
He says, ‘‘We have an excellent marketing department that drives Playaza Entertainments forward with right strategies,planning, and ongoing trends, understanding the market and serving the customers.’’
FEC Market in India And Its Driving Factors
The global Family Entertainment Center (FEC) market is valued at USD 34.57 billion in 2026 and expected to reach USD 47.93 billion by 2031, at a CAGR of 6.75% during the forecast period (2026-2031), according to the Modor Intelligence report.
The structural shift in lifestyle, rising urbanization, and increasing disposable income has led to the growth of this sector. Furthermore, the advances in AR and VR technology, expansion of mixed-use sites, and increased food and beverage integration are attracting a broader audience for this segment.
The rise of this segment due to the following drivers: Firstly, rapid urbanization across major Indian cities has left families with minimal outdoor playgrounds or public parks, shifting their focus to FECs. Secondly, India’s extreme weather patterns—stretching from scorching summer heatwaves to heavy monsoon downpours—often rule out traditional outdoor parks, and families and kids look for a reliable, year-round destination for leisure activities. Thirdly, with rising double-income nuclear families, there is a shift toward spending on experiential entertainment rather than material goods. And lastly, the rising technologies and upgrades like tech-driven escape Rooms & VR arenas and increasing shopping spaces and hubs like malls has led to the growth of this sector.
Sharing the evolution of this sector, Niyas says, ‘‘As the world is evolving, the entertainment trends are also changing day by day. So we wanted to make sure that we change along with it. New technologies are coming which are changing the entertainment experience for the customers. People are always watching what kind of new experience or new entertainment is being introduced across the world. And we try to bring these experiences to our centers. So whether it is the kind of entertainment we provide, or the kind of experience we give, it has to meet the customers needs and satisfy their amusement experience.’’
FEC Opportunities and Challenges in India
Talking about the FEC opportunities in India, Niyas said: ‘‘The current FEC market in India is growing, and there are a lot of opportunities coming up in the future. Many new malls are coming up in Tier II and Tier III cities, and the need for quality entertainment in these malls are increasing day by day. Further discussing FEC sector challenges Niyas said, ''We do not have much outdoor space now as compared to 10-15 years back. Because of the limitation in space and the climatic conditions, the opportunity for indoor entertainment is increasing.’’
Further sharing about the FEC challenges, Niyas said, ''FEC investments are huge. Our per square feet investment is INR 10,000. So when we set up an FEC, we do a lot of market research about the kind of markets that we are entering and its customer profile. We analyze everything before locking a deal because it's a one-time investment, and if it doesn't go well, it’s going to be a big disaster. We are investing approximately INR 15- 20 crore per location. So we'll have to make sure that it works and it succeeds. Further sharing about operational challenges, he says, ‘‘We have to understand the market and the consumer behavior, only then we will be able to understand and overcome operational challenges.’’
Brand’s Future Plans
Discussing the brand’s future plans, Niyas reveals that the brand aims to open 6 new outlets in the next 18 months, out of which two units will be opened in Mangalore and the rest four will be launched in Bangalore, Coimbatore, Mysore and Hyderabad.
‘‘In the next five to ten years our plan is to open 50 Playaza centres, across South India,’’ signs off Niyas.
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