Rishab Rikhiram Sharma mesmerises over 20,000 fans at Mumbai’s biggest-ever classical music concert; Deepika Padukone, Soha Ali Khan, Tara Sutaria spotted

Following a phenomenal opening in Bengaluru, leading sitarist and neo-classical musician Rishab Rikhiram Sharma delivered a historic performance in Mumbai, captivating an audience of over 20,000 at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse. The evening marked the city’s largest-ever classical music concert, further cementing the growing cultural movement around contemporary Indian classical music.

Star-studded night as Rishab Rikhiram Sharma bridges tradition and innovation at mumbai concert

The Mumbai leg of the Sitar for Mental Health India Tour 2026 produced by Team Innovation and District by Zomato witnessed an extraordinary turnout, with an illustrious guest list that included Mika Singh, Raj Shamani, Tara Sutaria, Mrunal Thakur, Deepika Padukone, Anju Bhavnani, Ritika Bhavnani, Jasleen Royal, Samay Raina, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Nikhil Kamath, Gauri Khan, Maheep Kapoor, Soha Ali Khan, Sayani Gupta, Bhavna Pandey amongst others.

The concert opened with a calming guided breathing exercise led by Rishab, accompanied by the gentle hum of the tanpura, inviting the audience into a deeply reflective and mindful space. He then performed a rich repertoire of ragas including Bihaag and Kedar, Tilak Kamod and Shyam Kalyan, seamlessly weaving them into the evocative Raag Tilak Shyam.

On stage, he mentioned that this was his sixth concert in the city, reflecting on how his very first show was held in a basement for just 100 people in the suburbs. He expressed heartfelt gratitude for the overwhelming turnout this time. In middle of the show, he even stepped into the crowd, making sure everyone felt included and part of the experience.

A defining highlight of the night was the Mumbai unveiling of ‘SITARA – The Next-Generation Electric Sitar’, India’s first LED sitar, developed in collaboration with his father, master luthier Sanjay Sharma of the renowned Rikhi Ram lineage. The instrument lit up in synchrony with the music, offering a visually immersive layer to the classical experience and receiving an overwhelming response from the audience.

Rishab’s expansive setlist bridged classical depth with contemporary familiarity, featuring original compositions like Shankara, Shiv Kailash, Burning Ghat and Roslyn, alongside dynamic sitar interpretations of popular pieces such as Harry Potter x Game of Thrones, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Zara Zara, and Tumhi Dekho Naa, as well as his Himachali folk single Belua. The concert concluded with powerful renditions of Chanakya, Kautilya and Tandavam—his interpretation of the Shiv Tandav Stotram earning a thunderous standing ovation from the crowd. He also sampled a new song Venkateswara as an ode to Lord Krishna.

Blending spirituality with innovation, Rishab once again demonstrated his unique ability to transform classical music into a deeply emotional and accessible experience for modern audiences across all age groups. His fashion forward stage presence was elevated by his UV mehendi art curated by Shantanu Hazarika and a custom embellished ensemble by Shantanu & Nikhil, inspired by Michael Jackson’s military jacket style.

The promoters also arranged special shuttle buses to comfortably ferry senior citizens to and from the venue, ensuring an inclusive and accessible experience for all attendees.

The 10-city tour continues its journey across India with upcoming shows in Pune, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Kolkata, before culminating in New Delhi in April.

With record-breaking attendance and an unforgettable musical experience, the Mumbai concert stands as a landmark moment in India’s live event landscape redefining how classical music is experienced, felt, and celebrated by a new generation.

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