
Have you ended up crushing on him a lot more that you had originally planned? If so, this date idea is exactly what you’re looking for. Whether you find them on the by lanes of Kala Ghoda in Mumbai or Sadar Bazaar in Delhi, local perfumeries is a stop steadily forgotten. To really get to know your date, hit up a local perfumery, and create a personalised “his” and “her” fragrance. The entire process will be new, fun and refreshing and you’ll find out so much about each other’s preferences and tendencies.

There really is no charm quite like that experienced while watching live theatre. If you and your romantic buddy aren’t for dressing the part of an NCPA regular (read: snooty, theatre aficionado) score some dress rehearsal passes. You pay half, if not a third of the regular ticket fare, plus you get to see a play during their final dress rehearsal, complete with director cuts, which is a treat in itself. Not only will you give your regular Friday night movie and dinner mundane date a makeover, but you’ll be crossing of a bucket-list worthy item as well.

Rent a luxury car for the day. Pack a picnic basket and nothing else—drive to the nearest hill station, find a cute little cottage to camp out to and live a little on the wild side. Your 24 hours together will make for a fun, exciting getaway and completely refresh you for the rest of the week.

Pick a date where you two can act like kids and remind each other of your childhood. So, whether that’s going on a bike ride, hanging out by your favourite Ferris wheel on the beach front, playing your favourite sport together or visiting the ice-cream parlour that you frequented as a child, take him there and exchange stories from when you were kids.

Act like a tourist in your own city. Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Bangalore or Chennai—no matter where you hail from these metros have a whole lot of exploring left to do. Forget your regular spots and hit up the must-sees. Even if you think it’s the lamest thing in town but secretly have always wanted to try it (read: Titanic boat ride on Marine Drive), it’s time to create some new memories of your city with your beau. You can visit the art galleries and museums, local handicraft stores and end the evening with a delicious meal at a quaint café that you’ve never been to before.

Write a piece of fiction together. Gear up with oodles of caffeine and your sense of humour intact. You can choose to pen a satire, a poem, a one-act play or even a short story. Get nutty, get funky and go for it. Whether your relationship ends in the dumps or in the church—you’ll always have this gem to treasure over.

Rent a movie that either of you have never seen before. Put it on mute and improvise the dialogue. This could go either way—disastrously hilarious or terrifyingly insightful. Either way you’ve got yourself an unforgettable story.
Written by Nazneen Joshi on 2nd Sep 2014