IshaaraDumb charades signs and rules
The hand signals most Indian groups use. Agree on them before you start so nobody argues mid-round.
- FilmHold one hand to your eye and crank an old camera with the other.
- SongPretend to sing into a microphone.
- TV showDraw a box in the air with both index fingers.
- Book or storyOpen your palms together like a book.
- Number of wordsHold up that many fingers at the start.
- Which wordHold up fingers again: two fingers means you are acting the second word.
- SyllablesLay fingers on your forearm: two fingers means two syllables. Then the number for which syllable.
- Sounds likeTug your earlobe, then act a word that rhymes.
- Small wordPinch your thumb and finger close together for a, the, ka, ki or hai.
- Whole titleSweep both arms in a big circle, then act the whole thing as one scene.
- Longer or shorterPull your hands apart to stretch a word, push them together to shorten it.
- Correct!Touch your nose and point at the person who said it.
- Close, keep goingWave your hand towards you: keep guessing along that line.
The basic rules
- Split into two or more teams.
- The actor gets a movie name in secret and acts it out without speaking or mouthing words.
- Their team guesses within the time limit, usually 60 to 120 seconds.
- A correct guess scores points. Then the next team's actor goes.
A worked example
Say the movie is Chak De! India. Crank the camera (film), hold up three fingers (three words), then two fingers (second word). Tug your ear for "sounds like" and act "day" by pointing at the sun. Once someone says "De", act "India" with a cricket chant and they will have it.