Dumb charades ideas: 170+ words beyond movies
Movies are not the only option. These dumb charades ideas give you 170+ words in ten themes: everyday Indian life, cricket, food, festivals, TV shows, songs, animals, jobs and more, plus game formats for Diwali parties, office fun Fridays and kids’ birthdays.
A non-movie round is the best warm-up. Elders who do not watch new films, kids who have not seen old ones and colleagues who only watch cricket can all play. Pick one theme per round, or write the words on chits and mix them in a bowl.
Everyday Indian life
- Bargaining with the sabziwala
- Catching a local train
- Hanging from a crowded bus
- Making rotis
- Making chai
- Power cut during a match
- Taking a selfie
- Riding a scooty
- Auto-rickshaw ride
- Honking in traffic
- Applying mehendi
- Wearing a saree
- Tying a turban
- Drying clothes on the terrace
- Mosquito hunting
- Filling a water bottle at the tap
- Touching elders’ feet
- Doing yoga
- Morning walk in the park
- Cleaning for Diwali
- Ironing clothes
- Watching a saas-bahu serial
- Online class with the mic on mute
- Waiting for the OTP
Cricket
- Helicopter shot
- Sixer
- Boundary
- Run out
- Clean bowled
- LBW
- Bouncer
- Googly
- Yorker
- Stumping
- Slip catch
- Third umpire
- DRS review
- Super over
- Free hit
- No ball
- Wide ball
- Hat-trick
- Gully cricket
- Toss
- Cheerleaders
- Mexican wave
- Rain stops play
- Man of the Match
Indian food
- Pani puri
- Dosa
- Idli
- Biryani
- Jalebi
- Samosa
- Vada pav
- Pav bhaji
- Chole bhature
- Momos
- Gulab jamun
- Rasgulla
- Masala chai
- Lassi
- Kulfi
- Paratha
- Butter chicken
- Rajma chawal
- Dhokla
- Poha
- Maggi
- Coconut water
- Popcorn
- Ice gola
Festivals and celebrations
- Diwali
- Holi
- Raksha Bandhan
- Ganesh Chaturthi
- Navratri
- Garba
- Durga Puja
- Dussehra
- Janmashtami
- Dahi Handi
- Onam
- Pongal
- Makar Sankranti
- Lohri
- Eid
- Christmas
- Karva Chauth
- Baisakhi
- Bursting crackers
- Flying a kite
- Drawing rangoli
- Baraat dance
- Haldi ceremony
- Wedding pheras
TV shows and web series
- Kaun Banega Crorepati
- Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah
- Ramayan
- Mahabharat
- Shaktimaan
- CID
- Malgudi Days
- Sarabhai vs Sarabhai
- Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi
- Bigg Boss
- Indian Idol
- The Kapil Sharma Show
- Roadies
- Shark Tank India
- Panchayat
- Mirzapur
- Sacred Games
- Kota Factory
- Scam 1992
- The Family Man
- Chhota Bheem
- Doraemon
Songs (act the hook step or hum it)
- Chaiyya Chaiyya
- Naatu Naatu
- Why This Kolaveri Di
- Kajra Re
- Sheila Ki Jawani
- Munni Badnaam Hui
- Lungi Dance
- Gallan Goodiyaan
- London Thumakda
- Tum Hi Ho
- Kesariya
- Jai Ho
- Ek Do Teen
- Choli Ke Peeche
- Tujhe Dekha To
- Mere Sapno Ki Rani
- Badtameez Dil
- Srivalli
- Vaathi Coming
- Jhoome Jo Pathaan
Animals and jobs
- Elephant
- Tiger
- Peacock
- Cobra
- Monkey
- Camel
- Cow
- Parrot
- Crocodile
- Kangaroo
- Penguin
- Giraffe
- Rooster
- Mosquito
- Lizard
- Street dog
- Doctor
- Traffic police
- Dabbawala
- Chaiwala
- Auto driver
- Barber
- Tailor
- Pilot
- Teacher
- Cricket umpire
- Wedding photographer
- Pandit ji
- Delivery boy
- Software engineer
- News anchor
- Magician
Dumb charades ideas for parties and occasions
| Occasion | Themes that work | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Diwali or family get-together | Festivals, food, old Hindi movies | Ladies vs gents, 2 minutes per word |
| Kitty party | Songs, TV serials, saas-bahu moments | Act the hook step for a bonus point |
| Office fun Friday | Cricket, jobs, office life, web series | Mixed-department teams, 90-second rounds |
| College fest or hostel night | Latest movies, songs, web series | Speed round: 5 words in 3 minutes |
| Kids’ birthday | Animals, cartoons, actions | Drawing round instead of acting |
| Wedding sangeet | Wedding rituals, Bollywood wedding songs | Bride’s side vs groom’s side |
Game formats to try
- Ladies vs gents. The classic family format. Each team picks words for the other.
- Antakshari crossover. Act a song; the team must guess it and then sing the next line.
- Relay. Five players act five words, back to back, in 3 minutes.
- Reverse charades. The whole team acts, one person guesses. Perfect for shy players.
- Forehead mode. One phone, the guesser holds it to their forehead, everyone else acts. The Guessy app does this with a timer and tilt-to-score; its free topics include Act It Out, Animals and Jobs.
Want films after all? Start with movies for dumb charades or the movie generator. For the rules and signs, see how to play dumb charades, and for a quick topic overview, dumb charades words.
No chits, no pens: Guessy deals the words, runs the clock and keeps the score. Free on iPhone and Android.
Download freeFrequently asked questions
What are some dumb charades ideas other than movies?
Everyday actions (making rotis, catching a local train), cricket terms, Indian food, festivals, TV shows, songs, animals and jobs. One theme per round works best.
What are good dumb charades ideas for kids?
Animals (elephant, peacock, monkey), cartoons (Chhota Bheem, Doraemon), food and simple actions like brushing teeth or flying a kite. Let little ones draw instead of act.
What are good dumb charades ideas for an office party?
Cricket terms, jobs, office life ("waiting for the OTP", "mic on mute") and web series like Panchayat or Scam 1992. Mix teams across departments.
Can we play song dumb charades?
Yes. Act the song title or its famous hook step (Chaiyya Chaiyya on a train, the Naatu Naatu step). Allow humming for a separate round.