New Delhi, Oct. 12 -- On a sticky Sunday evening in Khar, Mumbai's honking and chaos fade as you step into a softly lit cafe. Inside, the usual chatter of coffee drinkers is replaced by sniffles. Tissue boxes sit on each table, chamomile tea steams in ceramic mugs, and a playlist of piano notes floats through the room. A dozen strangers sit shoulder to shoulder, eyes brimming. For the next hour, they are here to do what many Indians have been taught to suppress: cry.

This is Mumbai's first "crying club", a concept inspired by Japan's ruikatsu, which means "tear-seeking" sessions, popular across Tokyo over the past decade. The premise is radical in its simplicity: create a safe, non-judgmental environment for adults to weep in company. Th...