Bollywood tambola brings the drama of the movies to a party game. Print up to 600 unique Bollywood tambola tickets in purple with a musical note on every one, then call the numbers and give prizes such as the Hero Line, the Villain Line and the Blockbuster Full House. The pack has a caller sheet, a prize list and a rules page, and you can play Bollywood tambola live on phones with no printer at all.
Bollywood tambola to print (PDF)
These four pages show a Bollywood tambola set for a filmy night: a page of tickets with “Filmy Night, Kapoor Family” on every one, the 1 to 90 caller sheet, the prize list with the film-style prize names, and the one-page rules. Click a picture for the PDF, or use the generator at the top of the page to change the title, the date, the paper size and the number of tickets.
What is in the Bollywood tambola pack
Everything below is made in your browser, and nothing you type is uploaded. Put the name of your film night or club in the title box to match your invitations.
| Page | What you get | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Tickets | Real strips of six: each strip uses every number from 1 to 90 exactly once | Up to 600 tickets, purple with a musical-note motif and amber trim, with your title and the host name on every ticket |
| Caller sheet | A 1 to 90 grid to cross off as you call | Keep it to check every winning claim |
| Prize list | The six filmy prizes, from Item Number Five to Blockbuster Full House | Space to write each prize and the winning ticket number |
| Rules page | A one-page script to read out before the first number | Covers claims and what happens after a wrong one |
Bollywood tambola prizes and what they mean
The Bollywood theme gives each prize a name from the movies, so every win comes with a cast list. Here is what each prize means and how to win it:
| Prize | How to win | Filmy link |
|---|---|---|
| Item Number Five | Early Five: the first five numbers marked on a ticket | The quick, showy song that gets the crowd going |
| Hero Line | Top Line: all five numbers on the top row | The hero gets the top billing on the poster |
| Heroine Line | Middle Line: all five numbers on the middle row | The heroine sits in the middle of every great story |
| Villain Line | Bottom Line: all five numbers on the bottom row | The villain lurks at the bottom of the poster |
| Four Filmfares | Corners: the first and last number of the top and bottom rows | One award in each corner, like the black lady trophies of the Filmfare Awards |
| Blockbuster Full House | Full House: all fifteen numbers marked | The film everyone talks about for weeks |
Number calls for your Bollywood tambola
Plenty of Hindi films have a number in the title, which makes them perfect for tambola calls. Read the film name after the number, and ask guests to name the lead actor before you move on.
| Number | Call it | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ek Tha Tiger | The 2012 spy film with Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif |
| 3 | 3 Idiots | The 2009 comedy about three friends at an engineering college |
| 7 | Saat Khoon Maaf | The 2011 dark comedy, whose title means seven murders forgiven |
| 10 | Dus | The 2005 action film whose title means ten |
| 11 | Nau Do Gyarah | A 1957 Dev Anand classic; the title is a pun, because nine plus two makes eleven, and “nau do gyarah” also means to run away |
| 12 | Do Aankhen Barah Haath | The 1957 film by V. Shantaram, whose title means two eyes, twelve hands |
| 14 | Chaudhvin Ka Chand | The 1960 romance named for the fourteenth-night moon, which looks almost full |
| 36 | 36 Chowringhee Lane | The 1981 film by Aparna Sen, set on a street in Kolkata |
How long does a Bollywood tambola game last?
A Bollywood tambola should fit between the snacks and the dance floor, so it helps to know how long the game will run. The table shows when each prize is usually won and how many minutes the whole game takes at the default speed of 10 seconds a call.
| Tickets | Typical crowd | Early Five | First full line | Full House | Time at 10 s a call |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 tickets | a small filmy house party | call 14 (12 to 17) | call 43 (36 to 49) | call 76 (71 to 78) | 13 min |
| 24 tickets | a film club evening | call 13 (11 to 15) | call 38 (33 to 42) | call 73 (69 to 76) | 12 min |
| 48 tickets | a college or office event | call 11 (10 to 13) | call 32 (27 to 37) | call 70 (67 to 73) | 12 min |
| 90 tickets | a big Bollywood night with a hall | call 10 (9 to 11) | call 29 (25 to 33) | call 68 (64 to 70) | 11 min |
The numbers come from real simulations of this generator: 300 games for each ticket count, with the typical call number and the middle half of results in brackets. More tickets mean the first prizes arrive sooner, but with 12 to 90 tickets the Full House still comes around call 68 to 76, because someone must complete all fifteen numbers. Add the film-title calls and the game stretches by a few minutes: allow one extra minute for every ten numbers if guests shout out the answers.
Bollywood party games that get everyone shouting
Bollywood party games work because everyone brings knowledge, and tambola makes use of it. Number calls named after films turn the game into a quiz: call “three” and ask who starred in the film with that number in its title. Guests who cannot answer still have a ticket to mark, so the quiz never slows the party down. You can lean as far into the theme as your group likes, with a playlist, filmy costumes and a villain laugh for every wrong claim.
Bollywood theme tambola for kitty parties and sangeets
A Bollywood theme tambola suits a kitty party, a sangeet or a birthday with a film theme. Name the prizes aloud before the game, and ask the winners to strike a pose. If you are planning a longer evening, pair it with Bollywood bingo and the Bollywood songs quiz so the game follows the music.
Filmy tambola and Bollywood housie
Filmy tambola and Bollywood housie are two other names people search for the same game. The tickets are standard 90-ball tambola tickets, so anyone who has played housie will understand them at once, and the filmy part comes from the prize names, the calls and the music you play between numbers.
How to run a Bollywood tambola in six steps
- A week before: choose a film theme or an era, such as the 1990s, and type a matching title into the generator.
- Print: make one ticket per guest, cut the strips into single tickets and print the caller sheet and prize list.
- Set the scene: add posters, a playlist and a clapperboard if you have one for the host.
- Before the first number: read the prize list in your best movie-announcer voice.
- During the game: call each number with a film title when you have one, and play a song clip after every prize.
- After the game: present the prizes with a short “award speech” and finish with a group photo of the winners.
Prize ideas for a Bollywood tambola
- Movie tickets or a popcorn tub for the Item Number Five
- A DVD or a streaming gift card for the Hero Line and Heroine Line
- A fake moustache or a villain cape for the Villain Line
- A trophy-style statue or a gold-colored mug for the Four Filmfares
- A bigger gift, a hamper or a gift card for the Blockbuster Full House
Type any of these into the “Extra fun prizes” box and they print on the prize list:
- Dus Ka Dum: the first guest to mark ten numbers
- Teen Deewarein: the first to mark three numbers in a column
- Gyarah Mulkon Ki Police: the first to mark the number 11, after the famous line from the film Don about the police of eleven countries
- Sholay Special: the first to mark the number 75, for the 1975 film Sholay
Host tips for a smooth game
- Play the soundtrack quietly between numbers, and turn it up for each prize.
- Ask the winner of each prize to name a film with a number in the title before they get the gift.
- Print tickets in color and give a pen in a matching color, so the table looks like a film set.
- Use a free-form hashtag or a photo wall for the Blockbuster Full House winner.
Wikipedia’s Filmfare Awards article lists the winners, which is a good source of film titles for extra calls.
Play Bollywood tambola live on phones
Hosting a film night over a video call? Run the same game on your phone or a TV. Guests open your link, type the ticket number you give them and their e-ticket marks itself as each number is called. Numbers are called automatically at the speed you choose, read aloud in English or Hindi if you like, and you can check any winning claim by ticket number. No app and no sign-up.
Bollywood tambola: frequently asked questions
What are good Bollywood party games for a big group?
Tambola with a filmy theme is one of the easiest: every guest has a ticket, the numbers are called aloud and the prizes have film names. Add a songs quiz or Bollywood bingo for a longer party.
Is Bollywood housie the same as Bollywood tambola?
Yes. Housie and tambola are two names for the same 90-number game. Bollywood housie simply uses the film prize names and the filmy calls.
Can I change the title on the tickets?
Yes. Use the title box (up to 40 characters) for your own film-night name, and the host or party name box for the person or club organizing the evening.
How many tickets can I print?
From 1 to 600 in one go, with 3, 6, 8 or 12 tickets per page. Press New tickets for a completely different set, and choose Letter or A4 paper, in color or black and white.
Are the bollywood tambola tickets free?
Yes. The tickets, caller sheet, prize list, rules page and live game are all free for home, club and classroom use, with no sign-up.