From temple fairs to film soundtracks, India’s folk music has always had a way of travelling, shifting shape, finding new rhythms, and reaching wider audiences without losing its essence. This live music experience follows that evolution, tracing how traditional melodies rooted in rural India have found new expression in the cinematic soundscape. 

Curated and led by percussionist-composer Dipesh Varma, a long-time collaborator with composers like A.R. Rahman, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the evening pairs raw folk compositions with their cinematic counterparts. The format flows seamlessly between live renditions of rustic folk tunes and their reimagined versions from popular Indian films, revealing how age-old rhythms have shaped some of cinema’s most iconic soundtracks. 

Joining Dipesh on stage is a stellar ensemble that includes Pt. Sridhar Parthasarathy (mridangam and multi-percussion), known for his work with legends like D.K. Pattammal, Dr. Balamuralikrishna, Ustad Zakir Hussain, and Herbie Hancock; guitarist Sanjoy Das; flautist Adwait Kashikar; keyboard and harmonium by Amit Padhye, and Ratnadeep Jamsandekar on tabla, dholak, and dholki. The show features vocals by Amrita Talukdar, Diptanshu Tiwari, and Apurva Nisshad. The evening is threaded together with narration by Dhwani Emmanuel, offering cultural context and lyrical insight. 
 
What unfolds is a region-spanning, time-travelling celebration of India’s musical heritage, a live experience that bridges the rural and the urban, the ancestral and the contemporary, through the universal language of music.