BahurupiyaHow to play Bahurupiya
A bahurupiya is a folk performer who paints their face and pretends to be someone else so well that the crowd can't tell. In this game, one of your friends is the Bahurupiya.
- Get your word. Everyone secretly sees the same word, like Samosa. The Bahurupiya only sees the category, Indian food.
- Give clues. Going round the circle, each player says one word linked to the secret word. Too obvious and the Bahurupiya works it out. Too vague and people suspect you.
- Vote. After two rounds, argue it out and point at your suspect.
- Last chance. If the Bahurupiya is caught, they pick the secret word from eight choices. Get it right and they steal the round.
Scoring
- Group catches the Bahurupiya: everyone else gets 1 point.
- Caught, but guesses the word: the Bahurupiya gets 2 points.
- Never caught: the Bahurupiya gets 3 points.
- Ghost round, and the group says "no Bahurupiya": everyone gets 1 point. Accuse someone innocent and they get 2 for the trouble.
Playing on many phones
Pick Many phones, then Create a room. Share the 5-letter code. Everyone else picks I have a code, types it, and chooses their seat number, counting clockwise from whoever made the room. Each phone then shows the right card for that seat. No accounts, and nothing is sent to a server.
Word packs
Pick one pack or mix several. Each pack has its own page with the full word list, which also works if you want to play with paper slips.
Tips for a good clue
- Go sideways. For Pani Puri, "crunchy" is safer than "golgappa".
- If you're the Bahurupiya, listen to the first few clues before you speak, and pick a word that fits most foods, places or films.
- Watch for players who repeat someone else's clue. That's the classic Bahurupiya move.
Bahurupiya kaise khelein (Hindi)
Sab players ko ek hi secret word milta hai, sirf ek player, Bahurupiya, ko word nahin milta, use sirf category pata hoti hai. Har player baari-baari ek shabd bolta hai jo word se juda ho. Do round ke baad sab milkar vote karte hain ki Bahurupiya kaun hai. Pakda gaya to Bahurupiya ko word guess karne ka ek aakhri mauka milta hai.
Questions
How many players do you need?
At least 3. It's best with 5 to 10. With 6 or more you can turn on two Bahurupiyas, who don't know about each other.
Is this the same as other imposter games?
The idea is a classic party game, like Mafia and other social deduction games. Bahurupiya adds its own touches: Indian word packs, ghost rounds with no imposter, a last-chance guess from eight options, and room codes so each player can use their own phone.
What if someone sees another player's word?
Start a new round with Next round. The game will pick a new word and a new Bahurupiya.
Does it work offline?
Yes, once the page has loaded. Room codes work out the word on each phone, so nothing needs the internet.
Do you store our names?
Player names and scores are saved only in this browser, so the next game starts faster. Nothing is sent anywhere.