A protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar has found an unexpected second life, this time in the world of video games. A parody game inspired by the October 10 protests has caught the Internet’s attention, allowing players to step into the shoes of either protesters or police officers.
The game was shared on Instagram by a user identified as @bugswriter, who described it as a fun experiment inspired by recent events in Delhi. Instead of simply watching a protest unfold, players can now try to navigate barricades, build a procession and make their way towards the centre of Jantar Mantar.
The creator has also included a police mode, giving players the option to switch sides and attempt to catch protesters.
Explaining what led to the idea, the creator said the recent events in Delhi inspired him to turn the situation into a game. He clarified that the project was created for entertainment and was not the work of an experienced game developer.
“Everything happening in Delhi lately has been so ridiculous that I thought, why not turn it into a game? So, just for fun, I went ahead and made one,” he said in the video.
He added that he used artificial intelligence (AI) to help develop the game and put the different elements together.
The project is presented as a parody game, drawing inspiration from the protest situation and translating it into a playable format. Its premise combines familiar elements of a protest, including crowds, police and barricades, with the objectives and challenges of a video game.
In the protester mode, players must build a procession and navigate their way through police barricades to reach the centre of Jantar Mantar.
The size of the procession also plays a role in the game. According to the creator, a larger crowd can break through barricades, while players also have the option of using a Zomato ride.
Explaining how this mode works, he said, “You have to form a convoy and avoid the police. If your convoy is large enough, you can break through barricades and even take a Zomato ride. Your goal is to reach the centre at Jantar Mantar.”
In simple terms, the objective is to gather enough people, avoid the police and reach the designated spot. The addition of a food-delivery ride adds an unexpected element to a game inspired by a protest.
The gameplay turns the process of moving through a heavily barricaded protest site into a challenge. Players must make their way towards the destination rather than simply observe the events that inspired the game.
For those who would rather be on the other side of the barricades, the game offers a police mode.
In this version, players take on the role of police officers and attempt to catch protesters. The creator described the objective while explaining the alternative mode in the video.
“You can also play as a police officer. In that role, your job is to take down and arrest protesters wherever you spot them,” he said.
The two modes give players different objectives within the same setting. One involves building a procession and reaching Jantar Mantar, while the other focuses on catching protesters.
The game uses these opposing roles to recreate elements of the protest situation in a simplified, interactive format.
The creator also acknowledged that he is not particularly experienced in game development. According to him, AI helped him put the project together.
He explained that the game was made purely for fun, rather than as a serious commercial gaming project.
“It was just for fun, toh maine bana diya,” he said.
The video was captioned, “Launching mantarjantar.com Parody game.”
According to the creator, the game can be accessed through mantarjantar.com without requiring users to log in.
The project is another example of how AI tools can help people experiment with digital projects without necessarily having extensive game-development experience. In this case, the creator used the technology to turn an idea inspired by a current event into an interactive game.
The game has also attracted reactions from social media users, with several comments focusing on its unusual concept.
One user wrote, “We got Jantar Mantar protest simulator before GTA VI.”
The comment compared the protest-themed game to Grand Theft Auto VI, the highly anticipated instalment in the popular video game franchise.
Another user commented, “This is really fun... Great job.”
A third praised the concept, writing, “Great stuff, Andolonkari is epic.”
The reactions reflect the attention the unusual premise has received online. Rather than a conventional action or adventure setting, the game takes inspiration from a real-world protest and gives players a choice between two opposing roles.
From building a crowd to dodging barricades, catching protesters and even taking a Zomato ride, the game offers a distinctly unconventional take on the events that inspired it.
For now, the creator describes it as a fun experiment, with AI helping turn the idea into a playable parody. The game is available at mantarjantar.com, according to the creator, and does not require a login to access.