NEW DELHI: Live concerts by Indian music maestro AR Rahman, Norwegian DJ Alan Walker and performances by noted singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan and international cultural troupes from Sri Lanka, Japan, Egypt, Uzbekistan and Malaysia are set to spice up the first World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai starting May 1.
These are part of the series of exciting performances by Indian theatre and tribal-folk dance groups to present a diverse and rich culture of performing arts that blend music, dance, acting, and storytelling before the global leaders of the media and entertainment industry.
Curated by the ministry of information and broadcasting, host of the four-day Summit, the gala cultural extravaganza aims to provide a platform to budding talents along with renowned artists, ensuring an immersive experience for attendees.
The proposed lineup of performances aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, who, following the success of Coldplay concerts in Mumbai and Ahmedabad in January, highlighted India’s immense potential in the concert economy, officials suggested.
Speaking at Utkarsh Odisha – Make in Odisha Conclave 2025, he underlined the opportunity to further boost tourism, create jobs, and enhance the global identity of India’s creative sector.
As per the schedule seen by this newspaper, Rehman, Walker, Shreya Ghoshal, and Tetseo Sisters from Nagaland will perform on the opening day. A group of eminent Padam and Sangeet Natak Akademi awardees will present ‘Udgosh: Indian Classical Instrumental Ensemble’ on the same day at the venue of the Summit; Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC).
Daily evening performances and programmes will also be held at DY Patil Stadium, National Sports Club of India (NSCI), National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) and Prithvi Theatre.
The renowned pianist Shantanu Moitra, and Mahadevan will perform on the second day. The gigs by the foreign troupes from Sri Lanka, Japan, Egypt, Malaysia Belarus, Russia, Japan, Egypt, Uzbekistan, and Argentina are scheduled on May 2 and 3. Another live concert featuring Rahman is also planned on May 3. Additionally, a couple of shows including standup-comedy and musical poetry recitation sessions like ‘Main Tenu Phir Milangi’ (story of Amrita Pritam with Imroz and Sahir Ludhianvi) will also take place on different days.
“Every day, there will be a cultural event at the venue of the summit in the evening. Some of them are ticketed events. …700-800 artists selected through competitions such as ‘Wah Ustad’ and ‘Symphony of India Challenge’ will also perform,” said officials.