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October is stuffed full of festivities, from bright and kitschy Diwali parties to all-night garba marathons, and those are just the Indian festivities. Worldwide, October is affectionately known as “spooky season”. This is because all the creepy, crawlies, and supernatural congregate on October 31, Halloween. For many of us, Halloween is another opportunity to dress up, albeit with a different theme.
Choosing a Halloween costume can be just as stress-inducing as picking the perfect Diwali fit. If you want to go beyond the usual ghosts, goblins, and witches, why not take a page from Bollywood’s handbook? The world of Hindi cinema has more than enough inspiration, and here at Masala, we’ve decided to round up a few options.
Going solo? Don’t want your sparkle to dull because of poor planning? Here our some of our favourite timeless options to choose from. Some of these are immediately recognisable, while others are great conversation starters if someone asks “What are you supposed to be?”
Though King Khan has several options to be inspired from, we chose a character with a little more pizzazz. Baadshah (1999) has the endless futuristic swagger only found during the turn of the millennium.
Simply find your smallest, most comical-looking pair of rectangular shades and couple it with an oversized shirt. The louder, the better! What goes best with an oversized shirt?
Oversized pants and an oversized blazer of course! There is no better way to emulate Shah Rukh Khan in the nineties than to look like you’ve either raided your father’s closet or been dumpster diving at a thrift store.
Over the years, Kareena Kapoor Khan has amassed a large repertoire of iconic characters. How can you choose just one? Which character is most recognisable? The answer is none other than Geet from Jab We Met (2007). With Geet, you have three options to choose from.
The first outfit is the iconic ‘I missed my train!’ fit. To copy this look, all you need is a white t-shirt, white salwar, and flip-flops! The second look requires a few more layers; you’ll need a yellow shirt, black jeans, and a hefty backpack.
For the third and final look, a flowy red skirt is essential. Pair it with an equally flowy white top, and a black corset—if you don’t have one, a black vest should do. And now, you are ready to find your very own Aditya Kashyap.
Deepika Padukone had the kind of debut both nepo babies and outsiders dream of. Om Shanti Om (2007) gave us everything, from an iconic reincarnation love story to a timeless soundtrack. It also gave us endless costume inspiration.
Whether you want to dress as Shantipriya or Sandy, we’ve got you covered. Who can forget the iconic black dress Shantipriya wore? Fear not if you don’t have a full-sleeved long black dress; one without sleeves should be fine too.
Don’t forget to drape the black dupatta across your neck and stick a few large roses into your hair. Now you’re ready to avenge your death. Just don’t stand underneath any chandeliers!
Love her or hate her, it is impossible to deny the mark her role in the Sanjay Leela Bhansali starrer left on pop culture. The Gangubai craze swept through Southeast Asia in a way nobody could predict.
Offering some representation for the petite girls, to mimic Alia’s look in the film, all you need is a white sari, a silver necklace, and a black handbag. A red lip, a small red bindi, silver jhumkas, and a red rose tucked into a low bun complete the look.
Looking to share a costume? Can’t bear to be separated from your partner? We have some options for you, too. Bollywood is nothing without its love stories, and here are some of our picks for couples' costumes to wow every party you attend.
Rahul and Anjali exist in two timelines. If you choose the university timeline, you also have to commit to Anjali’s bob. (Just kidding!) Dressing as the college versions of Rahul and Anjali is simple enough.
All you need are matching red and black sweatsuits. Bonus points if there is a brand name like DKNY or Nike emblazoned across your chest. And don’t forget the basketball!
A little more difficult than its predecessor, the present-day version of Rahul and Anjali is still doable. Ladies, simply pull out a peach coloured sari from your wardrobe. Don’t have one? That’s alright, a peach or salmon coloured dress will do.
Gentlemen, black slacks and an oversized blue button down are all you need. Add a loosely-knotted tie to complete the look. Perfect your handshake and remember… Keep that basketball close by.
Dhoom 2 is known as the best film in the Dhoom franchise (2004–2013) and for bringing two incredible-looking people together, Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
To dress like the sizzling on-screen pair, you’ll have to dig into your streetwear style. Aishwarya’s Sunehri was a fan of mini-skirts, both denim and camo, and strapless tube tops in black.
To tie the whole look together, you’ll need a pair of knee-high boots. Hrithik’s Aryan is much simpler; you just need jeans, a black tank top, and a bulky jacket (preferably leather).
Like Rahul and Anjali, Bunny and Naina also know each other from college. To dress like college Naina, you need her trademark chunky glasses, a simple dress, and a blue denim jacket. For maximum accuracy, carry a thick book with you.
Bunny, the free spirit, is just as easy to imitate. A white henley, paired with a plaid shirt and jeans is his uniform. If you feel like going the extra mile, why not add the ear piercing as a complementary accessory to the camera.
Who can forget the chokehold “Badtameez Dil” and “Dilliwali Girlfriend” have till this day on our party playlists? What better moment to recreate than when Bunny sees the ‘new’ Naina for the first time? Bunny cleans up in a nice white shirt, black pants, a skinny black tie, and a black suit jacket. Very tidy for someone supposedly badtameez.
Naina’s iconic sari has been seen by countless tailors over the years, but the elements are simple enough: a black blouse and an electric blue sari with a gold brocade. Don’t forget to skip the nerdy glasses!
Chandu ke chach ne, chandu ki chachi ko… Well, you get it. It seems as though Karan Johar, in addition to giving us Koffee With Karan and infinite nepo babies, has given us ample Bollywood inspo for Halloween.
To dress as Hrithik and Kareena in K3G, you first must pick an iconic frame. We chose the song: “You Are My Soniya”. Though nobody can become Kareena, her character ‘Poo’ is definitely on the cards.
You’ll need a sparkly red top, preferably with spaghetti straps, and red hot pants. Some strappy gladiator sandals and face gems, and you’ll be dance floor ready. Why should girls have all the fun?
To recreate Hrithik’s look, you need a tight black tank top, the shinier the better, and black pants. If they have flares… perfect!
Sometimes, it is better to do costumes as a trio. That way, you can coordinate an outfit with your friends and if one of you goes missing…? Just search the crowd for your missing pieces.
Before we had Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011), one half of the Akhtar siblings gave us our first taste of the urban Indian coming-of-age film with Dil Chahta Hai (2001).
From chart-topping hits like “Koi Kahe Kehta Rahe” and “Jaane Kyun” to creating a timeless affection for the Goa trip, Dil Chahta Hai is cemented into our cultural zeitgeist. This Halloween, why not go as friends Sid (Akshaye Khanna), Akash (Aamir Khan), and Sameer (Saif Ali Khan)?
Pull on your most 2000s-looking fits. These are cool guys from 2001, okay? They know what trendy is! One of you must style your hair up into short spikes, the other must draw on or sculpt a fake goatee and well… maybe choose a balding friend to play Sid.
Trying to choose between two dates to take to a party? Maybe you don’t have to. Instead, try the Student of the Year (2012) trio costume. Use the “Disco Deewane” frame for reference and find a bold and beautiful red dress to don. Pair it with a red lip, a headband (preferably silver), and a red corsage on your wrist.
Boys, keep it simple with suits and bow ties. And remember, only one of you can win the Student of the Year trophy.
Looking for a group costume with your girl gang? We’ve got your back. In the late 200s and early 2010s, Bollywood released a slew of rom-coms and chick flicks, one of which was the Sonam Kapoor starrer, Aisha (2010), known for its fashion and turning L’Oréal into a makeup holy grail for a whole generation of girls.
Aisha centres three girls at the crux of its narrative, and sure, any number of designer dresses will do, but is the image memorable? Maybe try this clip from the song “Suno Aisha” and let loose with your gal pals. All you need are three fluffy bathrobes, fluffy towels for your hair, and a glossy lip.