Pampering the inner child is no longer dismissed as a passing fad. It has become a quiet, joyful rebellion against growing up too fast.
Long after careers and responsibilities, many hearts still yearn for that one cherished childhood toy. The one that felt like magic in hand.
Ask any diecast car collector, and the response would be an unabashed “Oh, yeah!”
For most, the pull of diecast is often rooted in the childhood wonder at automobiles and their miniature replicas. What starts as playful fascination slowly evolves into a pursuit, where quantity gives way to rarity, craftsmanship and scale. The toys of yesterday become collectibles of today.
In Kerala, this nostalgia-fuelled passion is revving up like never before. A growing tribe of collectors is embracing self-indulgence. Collectives are thriving, and what was once a weird hobby is turning into a buzzing subculture.
The Trivandrum Diecast Community (TDC) is a classic example. What began as a small dream to build a platform for fellow collectors has grown into a vrooming community. Their latest gathering on Sunday saw over 100 members.
“Unlike in the case of coins or stamps, diecast collection was not very popular in Kerala compared with many foreign countries. People, in fact, used to mock those who pursued it,” smiles entrepreneur Jayan Morris, who is the community lead of TDC.
“However, there were many silent collectors across age groups. We wanted to create not just a group, but a vibrant community for people with a similar mindset.”
The response, he adds, was overwhelming. “Now we have a community of more than 300 members, with about 100 active participants,” he says.
Going beyond trading collectibles, TDC hosts ‘Chai and Diecast’ meetups, where members bring their favourite models, have ‘Picture of the Day’ contests, interact through story sessions and quizzes.
“Social media helped transform a niche hobby into a connected, digital-native community,” says college student Mohammed Nihan Sulfikkar, who runs an online diecast store called Diecast Trivandrum.
Nihan, who is part of TDC, sources models through international collector networks. “I have customers from across India,” he says. “As a collector myself, I connect with people through online communities and source models that are otherwise hard to bring into India.”
Diecast collecting, however, can be expensive. According to Nihan, there are collectors who spend anywhere between Rs 10,000 and Rs 25,000 a month. “The most basic models cost around Rs 200. But there are people who spend lakhs on high-end, rare models.”
Jayan adds that multiple models are released every month, so collectors often end up buying several pieces. “The highest-value model in my collection costs Rs 10,000,” he says.
Another buzzing group is the Kerala Diecast Crew (KDC). Through social media, the group shares tips on collecting and preservation, tracks new releases and helps members trade.
Kochi-based Prashanth Padmanabhan, one of the KDC’s spearheads, traces his love with diecast cars to the age of four. “My father bought me a model. That’s when it all started. I got fascinated by automobiles,” says the 49-year-old.
By the time he was in Class 10, his collection grew. “I picked up collecting in the 2000s and got really serious during the pandemic,” says the avid motorcycle and automotive enthusiast, who works as project manager with a private company.
He later sold many pieces as his taste became more selective. “Now, I pick rare ones, my favourite models, especially Porsche and Mercedes. A few are larger models,” he says.
Prashanth recalls buying the 1971 Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL AMG, the iconic Red Pig and a milestone in AMG history. “The Red Pig came second overall at its first American rally,” he gushes.
“Finding the model took time. My point person tracked it down far away. It came to me on a plane via Thailand. Sometimes, you have to search hard to get what you want.”
Rohit Anand, another KDC member, exudes the same passion. He says the group helps people access rare models. “Members helped me get Ken Block’s 2011 Ford Fiesta GYM3. The mini version is special. Usually it comes in three colours, but this one has 13 shades in the build,” he says.
A banker by profession, he now focuses on Hot Wheels. “I own over 800 models. As a child, I could not afford many. Later, as I grew up, I would buy one piece a year. This progressed, and now it’s a huge collection. It can get addictive,” smiles the 32-year-old.
Rohit has displayed about 200 models at his place, and the rest remain boxed up in mint condition. Collection is no child’s play, he adds. “Weather-proof cupboards are a must. The models should be kept away from direct sunlight. One needs a dry environment to prevent rust and corrosion,” he explains.
Notably, women are now foraying into what was earlier viewed as a male preserve. Sherin Domenic, who is part of TDC, says she got hooked after seeing one of her friends collecting models. “I used to watch him unbox them. The detailing really caught my eye,” says the techie.
Sherin now has over 25 models in her collection. “I love attending community meetups. It’s interesting to see other people’s collections and listen to them talk about their favourite models,” she says.
Dhanya Ganesh, a member of KDC, also gives the diecast camaraderie a thumbs-up. “It’s a shared obsession of the quirky kind,” she says.
For her, the attraction was towards “everything vintage”. Her collection began before she knew much about the models, their sizes, or anything else. “I started out just looking for good-looking vintage cars. Initially, I used to randomly buy them online,” she says.
As the craze gripped, she got to know about licenced models, authenticity, and other nitty-gritty about being a collector. Dhanya has over 700 models in her collection, with Rolls Royce Dawn Overdose being one of her costliest finds.
“It took me four months to locate a piece, and Rs 32,000 to own it. Another favourite is Citroen DS Mille Pattes in 1:18 scale. It is a very rare model and took me almost 10 months to hunt one down,” says Dhanya, who now helms a YouTube channel dedicated to rare, vintage models.
“Watching my growing collection, my son has also become a diecast buff.”
At the end of the day, all collections boil down to one factor: the swirl of excitement one feels in the innards while gazing at a well-made piece. And that magic one feels while holding it.