Colleges that Give Main Character Vibes

POV: You’ve just walked into your dream college. The campus gates open like a scene in a Karan Johar-directed movie. Your AirPods are blasting AP Dhillon, and your outfit is giving an aura no one can match. The students feel like side characters gossiping about you, while you walk in the college corridor, giving no ducks.

That’s what we mean by main character vibes. It’s not just about classes or grades. It’s about campuses that feel like Pinterest boards, a Mismatched film set, snap streaks worth making and more. Moreover, it should have those iconic spots where reels, group selfies, and late-night Maggi stories practically film themselves.

If you’ve ever dreamt of living your own version of Student of the Year (but with a reality check and fewer cheesy dialogues), this blog is truly yours. Let’s take you through the Indian colleges that scream ✨main character energy✨

Colleges That Scream “Main Character Energy”

Not every college gives you that “pilot episode of a Netflix show” vibe. Some are just… background characters (sorry, not sorry). But then there are a few that literally scream main character energy. Iconic campuses, insane fests, and aesthetics that make you feel like you’re walking through a movie set.

Here are some Indian colleges that are basically locations scouts would kill for:

🎬 Delhi University (DU)

DU is basically Student of the Year, but with momos and metro rush.

Image Credit: Facebook

The OG Bollywood campus. Half of your fav rom-coms and coming-of-age films were shot here for a reason. South Campus means chilling at Kamla Nagar & vibing at fests like Horn OK, DTU Fest, Jashn-e-Rekhta. And North Campus means strolls to MKT(Majnu ka Tila) and sips at Sudama Tea Stall. So DU gives you that “Student of the Year meets College Romance” vibe. Insta stories? No worries! Delhi has it sorted for you.

🎸 IIT Guwahati

IIT Bombay is Iron-Man core: an engineering student by day, fest headliner by night.

Image Credit: IIT Guwahati official website

Sure, it’s known for nerds and engineers, but IIT-G is literally a double life situation. Daytime = coding and classes. Nighttime = jamming, gigs, and Alcheringa (Largest cultural festival in North East India, btw). If you’ve ever dreamt of being the genius main character with a cool alter-ego, basically Tony Stark, this is your set. However, we still don’t promise to pass on his inherited wealth to you. Toodles!

📚 ISB Hyderabad

ISB is basically a Bollywood-themed College, but with more luxury and attendance

Image Credit: ISB Hyderabad official website

Think of the Avengers headquarters, but with more opulence, that’s the ISB campus for you. The massive campus looks like it was built just for drone shots. Moreover, the cafes, fest nights, and academic rigour boast their ability to satisfy every student type. So, if you want your college to have Instagram-worthy looks + a Dharma movie set, ISB is your main character stage.

🌆 Symbiosis, Pune

Symb gives international campus energy, that too, without a passport!!

Symbiosis feels like “study abroad but in India.” The hilltop campuses, Pune’s café culture and dope weather. And that perfect balance of academics + sports makes it wholesome. Dreamt of being an international student but have visa struggles? Symbiosis can give you Ireland-level views, that too, without a passport!

🏛️ Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun

The Period Drama Hero

Image Credit: Facebook

FRI is the kind of campus that instantly gives you period-drama vibes. Its colonial-style architecture and long corridors feel like you’ve stepped straight into a Bhansali set. Add to that its sprawling green lawns. And you’ve got a backdrop that’s a crossover of a Bridgerton-Bollywood palace. Walking here isn’t just walking; it’s Shahrukh Khan gliding through the corridors of Gurukul. Yes, you got that right, Gurukul in reel is actually FRI in reality. Mohabatein was shot here!!

✨ Christ University, Bangalore

Christ is basically a K-Drama with attendance rules.

Image Credit: Christ University Facebook page

Christians (as students proudly call themselves) have their own main character cinematic universe. Chirts is known for its iconic cultural fests (InBloom, Nritta) that blend tradition with modernity. Housed in the silicon hub of Bangalore, students have coded their fashion game on point. Christ is for students who simp for Korean ramen but also crave Rameshawam Cafe’s dosa. Giving you the best blend of both worlds.

⛰️ IIM Kozhikode

The Mountain Monk MBA Hero

In the lap of two misty green hills, IIM Kozhikode is where consultant energy meets serenity. Mornings feel like meditation with clouds rolling over the campus. And evenings glow with golden sunsets, its pure cinema. Think Wild, but only with PowerPoint presentations and group projects.

🏜️ BITS Pilani

BITS Pilani is like: Kota kids finally went wild.

A desert backdrop that somehow feels like a TVF’s teen drama set. Add in Oasis (their legendary cultural fest), insane hostel life, and full-on Rajasthani vibe, Khamba Gani!  If you’re the kind of main character who’s both smart and chaotic, Sheldon Cooper, please come to BITS.

🌊 St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai

Xavier’s is basically Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, but with more drama.

Image Credit: St Xavier’s College Facebook Page

Bollywood literally can’t resist shooting here, so why should you? From Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na to Main Hoon Na, all were filmed @ Xavier’s. So if you imagine Marine Drive hangouts, theatre culture, and Mumbai’s chaotic beauty in your college life, Xavier’s is for you.

These aren’t the only ones; every college naturally carries cinematic energy. Each one has a unique vibe, aesthetic, and story that makes you feel like you’re the main character. Always remember you are the main character, your college is just the set.

Pop Culture Parallels

Every college has its own cinematic universe. If you’re wondering what your college life will feel like, here’s the closest pop culture crossover we can give you.

🎬 Delhi University (DU) = Student of the Year + Band Baaja Baarat

• Drama? ✅
• Romance in the canteen? ✅
• Fashion shows at random fests? ✅
• DU students are literally living in a YRF multiverse. Except replace the dance battles with momos. Along with adding metro rush, and DU fests that look like music videos.

🎸 IIT Guwahati = 3 Idiots x TVF Pitchers x Rock On!!

• Academics = JEE genes in action (3 Idiots vibes).
• Start-up dreams + geek squads (TVF Pitchers’ vibes).
• But then Alcheringa arrives, and suddenly it’s Rock On!! with concerts, mosh pits, and night-long jam sessions. Basically: the ultimate double-life MC arc.

📚 ISB Hyderabad =  Student of the Year x Keeping Up With The Kardashians

• Larger than life College fest and resort-level campus, SOTY Vibes
• Meanwhile, fashion fits, group gossips, and Insta stories = Keeping Up With the Kardashians, Char Minar edition.
• It’s aesthetic, it’s luxury, it’s elite — that’s just ISB for you.

🌆 Symbiosis, Pune = Dil Chahta Hai x Queen

• Pune’s cafés, road trips to Lonavala, and that hilltop campus = Dil Chahta Hai vibes.
• But the global exposure + cosmopolitan lifestyle = Queen… but in India, and just with more filter coffee.
• The “wanderlust-core” main character always found here.

🏛️ FRI, Dehradun = Mohabbatein x Bridgerton

• If you’ve seen Mohabbatein, you know FRI was the actual set!
• Think violin-scored romance, long colonial corridors, and that royal boarding school energy.
• Add in Bridgerton-level aesthetic Palaces, and FRI becomes the perfect backdrop of royalty.

✨ Christ University, Bangalore = K Drama x High Schools Musical

• Everyone’s fit is influencer-approved, even for 8 AM lectures.
• The fests?  High School Musical level energy.
• Basically, Christ is where you’ll always feel like you’re in a musical web series.

⛰️ IIM Kozhikode = Into the Wild x Hostel Daze

• Hilltop vibes, fresh air, and misty views. It’s Into the Wild, but with deadlines.
• Add in the wild hostel life and late-night group study drama, and suddenly you’re living TVF’s Hostel Daze.
• Basically: if you want your MBA arc to feel like a cinematic retreat, Kozhikode is the set.

🏜️ BITS Pilani = Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara x Kota Factory (but unhinged)

• Desert road trips, open skies, hostel chaos = ZNMD vibes.
• But with Kota kids finally let loose = Kota Factory on steroids.
• It’s chaotic, unpredictable, and legendary.

🌊 St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai = Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na x Wake Up Sid

• Marine Drive hangouts + artsy theatre kids = Jaane Tu vibes.
• Gothic arches + self-discovery journey = Wake Up Sid.
• Basically, the soft-aesthetic MC who turns their life into an indie reel every single day.

So whether you’re vibing like a Dharma hero, or full-on Kota survivor energy — there’s a college cinematic universe waiting for you.

Why Main Character Energy Matters (But Also Doesn’t)

Here’s the thing: everyone wants that main character arc. You imagine a college campus looking like it’s been set-designed for a Dharma film. And yes, the college can definitely amplify your feelings.

But plot twist: the real “main character energy” isn’t the campus — it’s you.

Think about it 👇

• You could be at DU with its Bollywood-core campus, or a smaller city college. Either way, if you walk in with confidence, you’re the one who makes it iconic.
• A college fest might feel like Sunburn. But the memories that truly matter will be the ones you share with your group. Your impromptu group outings and those hostel Maggi nights. That is what matters at the end.
• Even the most aesthetic campus needs your vibe to make it a story worth telling.

Because at the end of the day:

• 🎬 The campus is just the backdrop.
• 📝 The syllabus is just the sub-plot.

✨ You are the PLOT!! The WHOLE STORY!!