Twelve games that work at an Indian house party, from the classics everyone already knows to Bollywood games that need nothing but a phone.
The fastest way to start: one phone.saaki has nine Bollywood party games ready to play, with teams and scores. Bollywood Night is free.
Any number, two teams
Teams take turns singing songs that start with the last letter of the other team’s song. Still the best game for a loud room. How to play
4+, two teams
Act out a movie or song title, no talking. Bollywood titles make it twice as funny. How to play
2+
A film or song title written in emojis. Read it out, guess it, argue about it. How to play
Perform a famous dialogue; your team names the film. Extra points for the eyebrow. How to play
4+
One person hums a song, no words. The team guesses. Harder than it sounds after midnight. How to play
A topic, 20 seconds, three songs. “Songs with a colour in the title.” Go. How to play
A song title translated into English, word for word. Sing the real one. How to play
6+, needs tickets
Numbers called out, tickets marked, prizes for early five, lines and full house. A Diwali staple.
Say something you have never done; whoever has, owns up. Works best with people who know each other well.
3+
Each person says three things about themselves; everyone guesses the lie. Good for mixed groups.
4+, paper
Draw Bollywood films, Delhi landmarks or street food. No letters, no numbers.
7+
A few secret killers, a doctor, a detective, everyone else a villager. One narrator. Long, loud, worth it.
People who don’t know each other: start with something in teams, like charades or the emoji quiz, so nobody is alone on the spot. Old friends: never have I ever, then rapid fire. Family: antakshari and filmy lines work across ages. A big group: housie or mafia.
If everyone is of legal drinking age, saaki has a drinking mode on every game, with twist cards and sips decided per card. It is optional, and there is a mocktail mode for anyone not drinking.
Antakshari, dumb charades, a Bollywood emoji quiz, filmy dialogues, hum the song and rapid fire are the easiest to start. Housie and mafia suit big groups.
Antakshari, dumb charades, hum it, filmy lines, never have I ever and two truths and a lie need nothing at all. saaki runs the Bollywood ones on one phone.