50+ ways to bring on the party

Whichever way you look, festivities are officially in full swing. It seems everyone’s working on their autumn glow, carting home more boxes of mithai and dry fruit than they can possibly eat in a lifetime, and quickly revising the rules of teen patti. Even our Google algorithm is on board, bombarding us with ads for eco-friendly tea lights and novelty playing card packs. And then there are those party invites for the week ahead.

There’s no wrong way to do a Diwali party, but there are a lot of little things that you can do to make it epic. Whether you like it elaborate or effortless, here is some wise, useful, light-hearted advice to make your party less panic, more fun. Featuring 52 experts—all seasoned party throwers and goers in their own right—this entry-to-exit guidebook will offer tips and tricks (which are more than just some well-placed fairy lights) to host a Diwali party that becomes a night worth waiting for all year. 

#1 Dress code: Something sparkly, something new

There’s nothing like an imaginative theme to get the group chats blowing up in anticipation
 

Vinita Chaitanya, celebrity interior designer

Respect the host and dress for the occasion. I love it when people come home nicely dressed. If you come to my party in flip-flops, or are not smelling good, you’re never getting invited again. 

Anaita Shroff Adajania, fashion stylist  

Traditionally, people tend to avoid wearing black during festivals, but paired with silver or gold, it’s a fabulous choice for a Diwali party. It’s universally flattering and with just a touch of metallic accents, it instantly feels more festive.  

Kalyani Saha Chawla, entrepreneur and founder of Rezon luxury silverware

In Delhi, people are bratty, so they do exactly what they want to do. You never know if they’ll follow a theme or not. But I remember Karan Paul’s 50th birthday—it was themed around hedonism and it was absolutely amazing because everybody was dressed up. I got whiplashed by Tarun Tahiliani, who was wearing these massive wings that took up half the garden. It was insane! Jaipur too does the best theme parties—everyone takes it so seriously. There are people riding in on elephants, bizarre headgears, strange props, outlandish make-up, the works. Recently, there was a ‘Reverse Orientalism’ party hosted by Dhruv Raj Singh and Marie-Anne Oudejans, as well as Samir Kasliwal’s circus-themed 40th birthday, which was truly unforgettable. If you show up here without a costume, you feel pretty dumb. Costumes are so freeing, they allow everyone to let go of their inhibitions and just have fun.

Amrita Khanna, fashion designer and co-founder of Lovebirds Studio 

I like to plan my Diwali outfit a few days in advance. I usually choose a silk dress in a bright festive colour, maybe a red or a deep purple. But this year, I’m all about sequins. There’s an amazing dress in our Festive ’24 collection, which I will accessorise with our Circle of Life earrings and ring, and black heels.

Prateek Bakhtiani, chef and creative director of Ether Chocolate 

My trick for a successful event is curating my guest list based on the theme. This Diwali, I’m hosting a ‘’90s Sindhi Aunty’ taash party at my house—very ‘whiskey, chivda, and cards’—for close friends who have teased me all my life for being aggressively Sindhi. The dress code is white and gold, and I know that everyone I’ve invited has things in their daily wardrobe that they can show up in, so they won’t have to go out of their way for this. 

Ridhi Khosla Jalan, design content creator and founder of RKJ Studios

When I’m hosting, I always have two outfits: one before midnight, one after. First, I’m really dressed up, which adds to the ambience of the party, and after midnight, once it’s just the core group, I put on my really comfy track pants, that also look good, so I can sit back on the couch with my legs folded.   

Anisha Rachel Oommen, editor and co-founder of Goya Media 

I look at Border&Fall’s sari series that teaches you how to drape saris in more than 80 ways; I pick a different style every chance I get. It’s hard enough to get even one drape right, but I’m okay with looking a bit messy. I fully embrace it.   

Gauravi Kumari, entrepreneur and founder of The PDKF Store

When I keep a theme for an event I’m hosting, I always share a mood board with the invitees in advance to make it easy for everyone.  

Prayag Menon, fashion stylist  

Men can’t go wrong with a pair of well-fitted, high-waisted black pants paired with a silk shirt and gold accessories. It’s a fail-safe combo that works for me every time. Some fantastic Indian brands to consider are Jodi, Torani, Divyam Mehta, Abhinav Mishra, Ashdeen, and Re-Ceremonial. They’re perfect for capturing that festive spirit.  

Sumukhi Suresh, actor, comedian, and founder of Motormouth 

I want the boys to dig out that one kurta from their closet. I have this white and red pagdi, one of those Maanyavar ones, and if I do get an annoying person who doesn’t dress up for my party, I make them wear it for a while to make up for it.

Indrani Dasgupta, model 

My fashion advice for the season is to stick to festive colours, jewel tones, or velvet. Colour always helps elevate the mood.

Elton Fernandez, make-up artist 

If I don’t feel like dressing up, then I don’t put on too much make-up—just a bit so that I feel I’ve made an effort. If I do, though, I’ll put on a full bodysuit with shoulder pads, a wig, and full make-up.  

#2 RSVP like an MVP 

There’s magic formula to knowing how many people will turn up and what’s fashionably late vs plain rude

Ridhi Khosla Jalan, design content creator and founder of RKJ Studios

People should always RSVP, but I know from experience that about 15 per cent of invitees won’t show up. So I’ve already done the math in my head, whether RSVPs happen or not.  

Manish Malhotra, fashion designer  

It’s not about arriving on time; it’s about arriving in style.  

AD Singh, restaurateur and founder of Olive Group of Restaurants

Never show up bang on time and never too late, if you can help it. If you are invited to party at 8 pm, it’s good to show up between 8.30 and 8.45. I personally like going reasonably early to get some quality time with the host and early guests. 

#3 Never show up empty-handed

And remember, nobody needs another candle (unless it’s a Diptyque)

Gunjan Gupta, designer and founder of Ikkis 

Flowers are a timeless gift, but not when you’re arriving at a party. It makes the host go helter-skelter looking for vases and it’s just messy. No one needs unnecessary stress when they’re hosting. Instead, send a bouquet on the morning of the party, giving your host ample time to arrange and place it to work with their décor.   

Anuja Lunkad Joshi, entrepreneur and founder of Interflora  

For a fabulous low-maintenance floral arrangement, consider a stylish mix of dried flowers. They’re trendy, long-lasting, and can double up as décor later. For fresh blooms, I’d recommend a combination of lilies, carnations, chrysanthemums, and gypsophila, which look great together and are easy to care for. You could also opt for a plant—it’s something that always makes a host smile.

Eeshaan Kashyap, food and beverage curator

As a guest, I usually gift a home blend of tea that I’ve created using three variants of tea from Mittal Tea Stores in Delhi’s Sunder Nagar Market. The place is like an apothecary of tea masalas. I get lemongrass, chamomile, fresh lavender, ginger, which I put in a glass jar with a handwritten note.   

Anjali Patel Mehta, fashion designer and founder of Studio Verandah 

Diwali is a good time to shop from NGOs and foundations whose work you support. I like to do favours from Jai Vakeel Foundation, Om Creations, and Shraddha Charitable Trust. It may not be very fancy, but it feels very special.

Heena Punwani, pastry chef and founder of Maska Bakery 

The worst are the recycled gifts. You know, the ones that everybody gets and they just recycle it—the random nuts or box of mithai. You know immediately that there was no thought.

Hanut Singh, jewellery designer 

My favourite gift to take is a bottle of Champagne, it’s festive and you can toast people with it. Dom Perignon is my go-to. I also love receiving a good tequila or a nice, smoky mezcal.

Romy Gill MBE, chef, author, and broadcaster

If somebody is going to bring gifts for me, I tell them to make a pudding, or a sweet dish like a cake, pavlova, or meringue—so I don’t have to worry about dessert.

Gauri Devidayal, entrepreneur and founder of Food Matters Group 

When you don’t know your host’s aesthetic, bringing something that may or may not fit into their home is tricky. Jay and I are foodies, and I love when someone brings us their home speciality. It shows thought and effort and I’m always curious about home recipes. At our restaurants, if there’s a special or a dish available for a limited time, I cheat and take that as a gift, but if I can, I make an apple pie. It's the only thing I can cook.

Samyukta Nair, CEO and co-founder of LSL Capital

Other than the gift of great company, there’s very little that compares to a vintage Champagne—I like either Cristal or Dom Pérignon. Bringing something special from one of the great years makes for quite a collectible and it’s also fantastic to savour when opened. 

#4 Setting the scene

The music: low. The lights: dreamy. The entertainment: ’grammable. The vibes: immaculate

Gursi Singh, fashion designer and co-founder of Lovebirds Studio

When Amrita and I host a Diwali party, we think of the feel as Diwali but the look as very Studio 54. We’ll do something clean and young, and everything will be a single colour. Last year, we did tons of white, with straight lines of white mogras, interjected sparsely with dim red lighting and a hint of festive sparkle here and there.  

Ranji Kelekar, interior stylist

Fragrance is something that leaves a lasting impression. I like to shut the doors and light a dhoop in the evening, around 5 pm, so it really leaves a nice smell all around the house. I also like to light up some agarbattis. I don’t like artificial scents, instead I prefer candles by Jo Malone and Abu Sandeep, which have this amazing natural scent. 

Anjali Mody, designer and founder of Josmo Studio 

You always need to have an element of surprise if you’re going to throw a memorable party. My go-to hacks are insanely trippy décor, in the form of unusual elements and space lighting. Another trick is using a 360-camera setup. It raises the tempo of a party almost immediately, and everyone leaves with great memories of the night. 

Rohina Anand Khira, interior stylist  and founder of AA Living

I love placing traditional diyas inside glass terrariums. You can line the bottom with flowers, crystals, or coloured sand, and then position the diyas in the middle—it’s like a little festive installation. I also love small mirrors as part of my rangoli design to reflect the light from the diyas. This looks absolutely stunning. If you have a projector, you could play a loop video of bright sparkling lights to help set the mood.  

Tarun Tahiliani, fashion designer

I split my party across different rooms, each with its own ambience, so you can float around and find your vibe. I’ll do the qawwals by the pool, opera in the den, Ma Faiza raging in the home office—but the music is never too loud. Nothing’s worse than a bunch of shrieking people trying to have fun. People tend to go too bright or too loud, but great parties have a sense of intimacy, so you need to balance it all. If there’s intimacy, there will be room for some fun conversation. And good conversation makes or breaks a party.

Samir Andrea Kasliwal, jeweller and partner, The Gem Palace 

I go all out with my parties because I want everyone to step into a different world and forget about real life for a bit. I go over-the-top with the décor, transforming the space into something magical or outrageous. It’s all about creating that escapist atmosphere.  

Sumukhi Suresh, actor, comedian, and founder of Motormouth 

Usually, I keep one room for the dancers and karaoke singers, another for people who drink and want to talk about work, and the last room for introverts who like to philosophise and say that “parties suck, people suck”. I like to make sure everyone has a corner for themselves to enjoy.   

Anita Lal, founder of Good Earth 

For my own peace of mind, I light incense in the mornings and evenings to create a meditative ambience. These days, I love Sambrani, an incense made entirely from the fragrant gum from the Styrax benzoin tree that grows in Sumatra. It is one of the oldest and most loved incenses, with a serene balsamic scent that lingers in the air long after the stick burns out. This centres me and prepares me for a day of decorating, planning, and entertaining. 

Kshitij Kankaria, founder of The Dirty Magazine  

There’s an unspoken rule at my parties—take out your phone if you need to, but don’t make other people uncomfortable. I want people to come and be who they are and do what they want in a safe space. In one of our parties, there were people standing against the wall taking pictures of the drag queen from their phone, like they were in some fucking zoo. Next time I made sure not to call those people—it doesn’t matter how important they are to the industry. They were creating a vibe that we didn’t want.   

#5 How to be the life of a party

Forget the tired “What do you do?”; these conversation starters will save you from small talk and ensure you become the centre of the party

Porus Vimadalal, photographer 

Go straight for three glasses of Champagne; it works wonders in making you feel social and charged in no time! 

Radhika Chopra, art patron and founder of No. 3 Clive Road

My go-to for starting a conversation is “Have you taken any fun trips lately?” or ask each person to suggest a song for the playlist.  The worst question at a party is “What part of town do you live in?”

Srimoyi Bhattacharya, publicist and author

As bizarre as it sounds, I place a teddy bear at the dinner table to fill in for someone who hasn’t made it to the party. It is not just a great way to fill an empty seat, but a fun conversation starter.    

Shaana Levy-Bahl, film producer and actor

When conversation is falling flat, I sometimes do naughty conversation starters. I have these dinner cards called Bad Choices that you pull and ask uncomfortable, fun questions. It’s like an adult version of Truth or Dare. Sometimes I just put a card on each table, and it creates a fun environment—people have to drink up and chat.  

Gunjan Gupta, designer and founder of Ikkis 

Do not discuss films, books, or politics—it’s quite annoying. Even travel feels a bit show-offy. When the conversation flags, my go-to is food: the one meal that blew your mind or the one dish you can’t get enough of or a meal that transports you. Food is my go-to conversation starter. Everyone has something to say about it, and it just gets the banter going.

Neysa Mendes, founder of creative consultancy Good Slice

The most interesting conversations I’ve had do not include the extremely tired 'What do you do?' standby. It’s taken a bit of intention and practice, but I don’t ask that unless I am asked first. There are so many other things to talk about. Last weekend, I turned to a man standing next to me and commented on this piece of art in front of us, and it led to a genuine conversation. Complimenting someone on their outfit or haircut, or even a conspiratorial 'What’s the best starter?' is an easy trick.  

#6 The snack rule

Turns out too much food is as bad as too little

Prateek Bakhtiani, chef and creative director of Ether Chocolate  

One thing I think about is volume. I see a lot of people have too much food out and it just distracts from the party. I always do a little less than what I think people are going to eat. I know it feels counterintuitive, but one thing I’ve learnt from attending parties is I’ve never left a party super excited to be so full. Being too full definitely taints the experience.

Eeshaan Kashyap, food and beverage curator

A quick chakna that has always been a hit at my house parties is peeled almonds— essentially almonds soaked the night before. I put them in a large bowl near the bar and it’s the first thing that finishes. I also like making a dip with Greek yoghurt, sesame oil, herbs, garlic, salt, and pepper—it goes well with any crisps, especially my stash of khakras.

Romy Gill MBE, chef, author, and broadcaster

I always keep a can or two of tinned chickpeas, so if I need a quick-fix dip, I can whip up a spicy hummus very quickly with stuff I always have in my cupboard like tahini or lemon juice. I can also make a really amazing dip with avocado, chillies, lime juice, and mint or coriander. The easiest one is a yoghurt dip. If you have apple, cucumber, or radish, you can just grate that into it and add some fresh herbs, for a nice, cool dip.

Tarun Tahiliani, fashion designer 

I don’t like overdone tables. You’re coming for the company and energy, not for the host to show off that they can serve a hundred dishes. The other problem at many Indian parties is that every five seconds, someone is trying to offer you something or the other. It’s constant interruption, which destroys the flow of the room and conversation. I prefer platters, where people can help themselves and occasionally, drinks can circulate.

#7 Raise the bar

Recipes, tips, and tricks to make every hour happy

Tahir Sultan, designer, chef, and founder of Makaan

I always have mixologists at my parties who serve an array of cocktails. Currently I’m obsessed with mezcal margaritas. 

Anisha Rachel Oommen, editor and co-founder of Goya Media 

My partner and I usually make just two cocktails for everyone; a fun martini and a negroni. And beer for everyone else. We usually forget about the non-alcoholic drinker—sadly, they’re an afterthought. We’re trying to be better this year.   

Aditi Dugar, Director & Founder, Masque & Urban Gourmet India Pvt. Ltd

My pet peeve as a host is when a guest gets out-of-hand drunk and misbehaves with other guests. I’m all for everyone having fun but I don’t like it if people can’t handle their drink.

Kunal Shah, interior designer  

My partner and I pre-batch a festive punch, which I enjoy making—it’s essentially a homemade sherbet with gin, some flower petals, and crushed ice with lime. Sometimes we add khus, rose, or hibiscus. You could also add some Prosecco or any kind of bubbly to make it boozier.  

Sana Javeri Kadri, CEO and founder of Diaspora Co. Spices 

My go-to recipe is a turmeric and ginger gin and tonic. I batch the gin ahead of time, and have my tonic in the freezer so it’s ice cold and I can hand people a drink as soon as they walk in.  

 Ridhi Khosla Jalan, design content creator and founder of RKJ Studios

I always have a bartender, no matter how many people there are—that’s a spend I don’t mind. My drinks always have really fun names—they might be classic cocktails, but I will name it according to the theme or to suit my guest list. I put the drinks menu up in a frame on the bar and suddenly it’s a talking point.   

 Neysa Mendes, entrepreneur and founder of Good Slice 

Ask your host if you can get them a drink. Yes, at their own party; they’re often too busy to remember and they’ll always appreciate it. 

Santanu Chanda, mixologist  and Bartender of the Year, World Class India 2024

As a Bengali, I’ve always found jaggery and cardamom to be prominent flavours in our festive sweets. This inspired me to create my own twist on the Old Fashioned for Diwali using Johnnie Walker Black whisky, jaggery and rose syrup, and cardamom bitters.

#8 Put on the best-dressed table

These tablescaping tips will make you an Instagram star

Eeshaan Kashyap, table stylist   

When it comes to table setting, I love mixing materials and adding unusual components. More than once, I’ve added rocks to my décor or used them as serve ware. I have draped a table using a patola sari and even used a chatai in place of a table runner. 

Ranji Kelekar, interior stylist 

I think lighting is an important aspect of table dressing. I don’t like dim tables, so I set it up under a big light and then have chai glasses with candles and other tapers all around it.   

Vinita Chaitanya, celebrity interior designer

My plates are always the starting point of my table setting, not any centrepieces. I love using decorative plates from this beautiful French brand, Gien, for a more semiformal gathering. For Indian meals, I prefer doing silver thalis or copper tableware from Good Earth. 

#9 All about that bass 

Looking for the perfect playlist? We got you

Abhimanyu Alsisar, hotelier and founder of Magnetic Fields Festival 

My secret to a great party is to introduce my guests to the sort of music they don’t hear everywhere else. I bring together a wide repertoire—qawwali, Sufi, folk, psychedelic jazz, jazz, electronic, organic house. That’s what I listen to and love, and that’s what I share. My playlists are on Spotify, hundreds of hours of music, so feel free to steal it for your next party.  

Gursi Singh, fashion designer and co-founder of Lovebirds Studio 

⁠We have a Diwali playlist prepared for our parties. We go all out with Bollywood disco from the ’90s— think Bappi Lahiri and Alisha Chinai. While Diwali calls for entertaining with cards, we think of a party as successful when everyone ends up dancing their hearts out by the end of it! Here’s our playlist from last year. 

 Diipa Büller-Khosla, founder of indē wild

Being a DJ these days is quite tricky, because everyone has such varied tastes in music. So to start off, I always put on a Top 50, or something trendy that everyone would’ve heard of, and as the night progresses, I alternate between ’80s and ’90s music and Bollywood. It’s important to keep checking if your guests are vibing to your music, and change it accordingly. Besides a playlist, in the past we have hired an opera singer, and this year for our Indē wild Diwali party, we had a comedian come in.

Ankur Tewari, singer-songwriter 

Somehow, by default, at every party, I end up DJing or making the playlist. That’s my contribution. While making the playlist, I think of who all will be coming, the vibes, whether it’s a day or evening party, the mood—it’s exciting.  Currently, I’ve got Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s newly discovered album, Chain of Light, on loop.

Shivan Bhatiya and Narresh Kukreja, founders Shivan & Narresh

We kick off our party with upbeat house tracks and some popular EDM, but eventually transition to Bollywood, which really gets everyone moving. Recently, we’ve been enjoying a blend of Indo-techno, combining EDM tunes with nostalgic Bollywood sounds. We never share our music or DJ lineup with guests because we’re very particular about the music we play, so they can always come expecting an excellent musical experience.

Kunal Shah, interior designer  

For Diwali, we end up playing a lot of instrumental Indian classical—and that’s the only party at which we play that kind of music. There's a lot of screaming and shouting, people are loud when they’re playing cards. So you just want a bit of ambient music. We play a bit of Vilayat Khan on sitar, Begum Akhtar. Mostly Hindustani classical.  

#10 SOS, the party is crashing

Awkward conversations or too many early exits? Not anymore

Divya Thakur, interior architect and designer   

For bigger parties, I think music is key. If that starts losing steam, then that’s the end. If the crowd starts thinning, it’s best to move to a smaller more intimate area so the energy is clustered and you can switch the mood easily. 

 Shaana Levy-Bahl, film producer and actor

Topping up the drinks always helps. Getting my husband to tell a story that I know is self-deprecating to me or him always makes people like laugh. I feel when you open up like this, it puts people at ease.

Aditya Raj, artist 

Sometimes you get stuck with a very boring person. I don’t want to appear rude when trying to weasel out of an awkward conversation, so I keep offering them water, which confuses them into thinking that they might be drunk or acting weird. This shuts them down real quick. 

Eshita Kabra-Davies, founder and CEO of ByRotation 

Facing a lull? Just bring on the shots! 

Jessel Taank, fashion publicist and founder of Oushq

If you're stuck in a really bad conversation, just say, “Oh, should we go to the bar?” And then, as you’re going to the bar, start talking to other people, so hopefully that person goes away.  

#11 Exit plans 

Always slybounce

Sakshi Shivdasani, YouTuber  

I just say that my dog is alone and he has anxiety and I need to be home. It’s the most Bandra excuse ever, but it works.  

Ateev Anand, designer and founder of Re-Ceremonial 

I never say bye, I just disappear. Of course, I follow up with a text the next day, which is very sincere. What helps me survive the parties is having a recharger. I always have a friend I go visit after the party. Maybe I’ve been smizing too much or answering too many questions about what I do and my social battery is depleted, so I might leave a party early to go have a drink with a friend, go for a walk with someone. Then I’m not drained and I’m ready to send that message the next day because it was a good end to the night.    

#12 The morning after

Flowers, texts and a little something that goes a long way 

Suhani Parekh, founder & creative director, MISHO

After the party, I think a little thank-you message the next day goes a long way! Just drop a note letting your host know you had a fab time—it’s a personal and sweet way to show appreciation.