Diwali season is almost here, which means the house-party invites are already piling up. And whether you’re the host running around making sure the décor is in place, the food has arrived and nobody’s forgotten the mithai, or the friend who’s still trying to figure out what to wear and what to gift, there’s one thing every good Diwali party needs: a playlist that delivers.
Now, we all love a good Sheila Ki Jawani moment. Munni Badnaam will forever be iconic, and no Diwali party is complete without at least one person dramatically singing along to Kajra Re. But if your playlist has been starting and ending with the same ten Bollywood songs for the last five years, perhaps it’s time to switch things up.
Think about it. There’s the slightly awkward first half-hour when guests are arriving, exchanging greetings and asking each other how they’ve been. Then come the drinks, the conversations get louder, someone inevitably starts telling a story they’ve told before, and the room begins to loosen up. There’s the taash table where everyone suddenly becomes very competitive, the first few people who are ready to dance but aren’t quite prepared to commit to Bollywood just yet, and, eventually, the moment when the living room turns into a dance floor and absolutely nobody wants to leave.
Each of these moments calls for a different soundtrack. After all, the right song can bring back a memory, change the energy of a room, or get even the most reluctant dancer on their feet. So, instead of hitting shuffle and hoping for the best, we’re breaking the evening down, one mood at a time. Consider this your Diwali party playlist, with a song for every stage of the night.
The doorbell is going off every few minutes, people are walking in with mithai boxes, exchanging hugs and asking who’s already arrived. Someone is complimenting the décor, someone else is looking for the drinks, and the host is still making last-minute arrangements. Nobody is quite ready to dance, so this is where the music needs to settle into the background without disappearing completely. Think indie favourites, alternative sounds, and easy-going tracks that make the house feel like somewhere people want to linger.
Roz Roz, The Yellow Diary and Shilpa Rao
Udd Chala, Taba Chake
Kahe Kahe, The Yellow Diary
Foolmuse, Peter Cat Recording Co.
Floated By, Peter Cat Recording Co.
Memory Box, Peter Cat Recording Co.
Portrait of a Time, Peter Cat Recording Co.
Love Demons, Peter Cat Recording Co.
People Never Change, Peter Cat Recording Co.
Ishq, Donn Bhat
Wahin Ka Wahin, Lifafa
Nikamma, Lifafa
Sage, Ritviz
Liggi, Ritviz
Husn, Anuv Jain
Kasoor, Prateek Kuhad
Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, Jasleen Royal and Prateek Kuhad
Iktara, Kavita Seth and Amit Trivedi
The first round is done, the snacks are disappearing and the conversations are getting louder. People have settled into their groups, the stories are getting longer, and there’s always someone who has taken over the aux. This is where the playlist can start picking up some pace. Indian hip-hop, Punjabi favourites and a little electronic influence work particularly well here. You want recognisable beats and songs people can casually sing along to, without turning the room into a dance floor just yet.
Mujhe Ye Gaana Pasand Hai, Yashraj and NEVERSOBER
Custom Fabric, Yashraj
LOVESEXDHOKA!!!, Chaar Diwaari
GABBAR, Yashraj and PUNA
DAF, Yashraj and Badshah
Daae / Baae, Yashraj and Dropped Out
Nazar, Darzi
Sutli Baaje, Darzi
Thandi Hawa, Ritviz
Udd Gaye, Ritviz
Tere Liye, Atif Aslam and Shreya Ghoshal
Kangna, Dr Zeus, Master Rakesh, Shortie and Dee
LAAVAN, Jasmine Sandlas and Mofusion
Players, Badshah, Karan Aujla and Devika Badyal
For A Reason, Karan Aujla and Ikky
Boyfriend, Karan Aujla and Ikky
I Really Do…, Karan Aujla and Ikky
Admirin’ You, Karan Aujla, Ikky and Preston Pablo
Wavy, Karan Aujla and Jay Trak
White Brown Black, Avvy Sra, Karan Aujla and Jaani
Mexico, Karan Aujla
Vasl, Yashraj and Talwiinder
Dhundhala, Yashraj and Talwiinder
The cards are out, the stakes are suddenly very serious, and everyone has an opinion on who’s playing well. There’s always that one person who insists they can read everyone’s moves, someone keeping score a little too closely, and another who is convinced the next round will be theirs. The music should have a familiar, easy-listening quality here. Think soulful melodies, Coke Studio favourites, and old Hindi songs that can play in the background while the real drama unfolds over the cards.
Pasoori, Ali Sethi and Shae Gill
Tu Jhoom, Naseebo Lal and Abida Parveen
Afreen Afreen, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Momina Mustehsan
Kana Yaari, Kaifi Khalil, Eva B and Wahab Bugti
Aaj Jaane Ki Zid Na Karo, Farida Khanum
Chaap Tilak, Abida Parveen and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan
Tumse Milke Dil Ka, Sonu Nigam and Sabri Brothers
Kaisi Hai Ye Rut, Srinivas
Shaam, Nikhil D’Souza, Amit Trivedi and Neuman Pinto
Gul, Anuv Jain
Aankhon Se Batana, Dikshant
You know the people I’m talking about. They’re tapping their feet, dancing near the sofa and already requesting songs, but nobody wants to be the first to demand Bole Chudiyan. This is the transition stage, when the playlist needs a little more rhythm and the room needs a little more energy. Punjabi pop, contemporary dance tracks, and familiar hooks are perfect for getting people moving without going straight into the full Bollywood repertoire.
Lover, Diljit Dosanjh
London Thumakda, Labh Janjua, Sonu Kakkar and Neha Kakkar
Girls Like To Swing, Sunidhi Chauhan
O Gujariya, Shefali Alvares, Nikhil D’Souza and Amit Trivedi
Zor Ka Jhatka, Pritam, Daler Mehndi and Richa Sharma
Afghan Jalebi, Akhtar Chinnal
Ainvayi Ainvayi, Salim-Sulaiman and Sunidhi Chauhan
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The Disco Song, Vishal-Shekhar, Benny Dayal, Sunidhi Chauhan and Nazia Hassan
Twist, Pritam and Neeraj Shridhar
Pappu Can’t Dance, Benny Dayal, Naresh Iyer and Satish Chakravarthy
Make Some Noise For The Desi Boyz, KK and Bob
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Desi Girl, Shankar Mahadevan, Sunidhi Chauhan and Vishal-Shekhar
Radha, Vishal-Shekhar and Shreya Ghoshal
Dus Bahane, Vishal-Shekhar, Shaan and KK
Soni De Nakhre, Wajid, Labh Janjua and Sneha Pant
And now, the living room is officially a dance floor. The person who said they weren’t going to dance is suddenly leading the choreography, someone has started a full-blown Bole Chudiyan performance, and the lyrics to songs everyone claims to have forgotten are coming back word for word. This is where the playlist goes all in: early 2000s throwbacks, wedding anthems, disco classics and unapologetically dramatic Bollywood dance numbers. The volume is up, the choreography is getting increasingly ambitious, and nobody is checking the time.
Deewangi Deewangi, Shaan, Udit Narayan and Shreya Ghoshal
Dil Mein Baji Guitar, Mika Singh and Pritam
Choli Ke Peeche, Alka Yagnik and Ila Arun
Kajra Re, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Alisha Chinai and Javed Ali
Hoth Rasiley, Anand Raj Anand and Shankar Mahadevan
Chokra Jawaan, Amit Trivedi and Vishal Dadlani
Saat Samundar Paar, Sadhana Sargam
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Babuji Zara Dheere Chalo, Sukhwinder Singh and Sonu Kakkar
Kanta Laga (Remix), DJ Doll and R.D. Burman
Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Aaja, Parvati Khan
Auva Auva Koi Yahan Nache, Usha Uthup and Bappi Lahiri
Chunnari Chunnari, Anu Malik and Anuradha Sriram
Chhaliya, Vishal-Shekhar and Sunidhi Chauhan
Bebo, Anu Malik and Alisha Chinai
Dhoom Machale, Pritam and Sunidhi Chauhan
Halkat Jawani, Salim-Sulaiman and Sunidhi Chauhan
Baby Doll, Meet Bros and Kanika Kapoor
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Dilliwaali Girlfriend, Pritam, Arijit Singh and Sunidhi Chauhan
Mauja Hi Mauja, Pritam and Mika Singh
Chammak Challo, Vishal-Shekhar, Akon and Hamsika Iyer
Kamariya, Aastha Gill and Sachin-Jigar
Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai, Badshah and Aastha Gill
Hookah Bar, Himesh Reshammiya and Vineet Singh
Party On My Mind, Pritam, KK, Shefali Alvares and Yo Yo Honey Singh
Angreji Beat, Yo Yo Honey Singh and Gippy Grewal
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Oh Ho Ho Ho, Sukhbir
Sajna Ji Vaari Vaari, Vishal-Shekhar and Sunidhi Chauhan
Criminal, Vishal-Shekhar, Akon and Vishal Dadlani
Sau Tarah Ke, Pritam, Jonita Gandhi and Amit Mishra
Zingaat, Ajay-Atul
Ghagra, Pritam, Rekha Bhardwaj and Vishal Dadlani
Sheila Ki Jawani, Vishal-Shekhar and Sunidhi Chauhan
Chikni Chameli, Ajay-Atul and Shreya Ghoshal
Munni Badnaam, Mamta Sharma and Aishwarya
Pinky, Mamta Sharma and Meet Bros Anjjan
Fevicol Se, Mamta Sharma and Wajid
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Billo Rani, Pritam, Anand Raj Anand and Richa Sharma
O Saki Saki, Vishal-Shekhar, Tulsi Kumar and Neha Kakkar
Beedi, Vishal Bhardwaj, Sunidhi Chauhan and Sukhwinder Singh
Namak, Vishal Bhardwaj and Rekha Bhardwaj
Oye Boy Charlie, Vishal Bhardwaj and Rekha Bhardwaj
Laila Main Laila, Pawni Pandey
Chaiyya Chaiyya, Sukhwinder Singh and Sapna Awasthi
Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident
