The rise of mall culture in India began in 1999 with the opening of high-profile malls like Ansal Plaza in Delhi and Spencer Plaza in Chennai, which revolutionized shopping for Indians. Initially, visiting malls signified a status symbol and a family outing, leading to a rapid increase in their numbers across cities, including tier-2 locations. Developers believed in the guaranteed success of these concrete structures, unaware of the challenges they would face in the future.

However, the rapid construction of malls began to see a counterpart in their decline. The failure of 70% of these shopping destinations can be attributed to several factors: subpar architectural planning that did not accommodate evolving consumer needs, the e-commerce boom that has shifted shopping habits towards online platforms, and significant lifestyle changes that have altered how and where people shop. Malls that once bustled with shoppers are now often referred to as 'retail graveyards', failing to attract visitors as they once did.

Reports from real estate firms like Knight Frank India indicate a grim future for many malls, as they struggle to adapt to the changing retail landscape. Experts believe that only those malls that innovate and reinvent their offerings to meet contemporary consumer preferences have a chance of survival, emphasizing the need for a transformation in strategy to stay relevant in the competitive marketplace.