India Dream — One Root, Infinite Melodies: Hyderabad Prepares for a Night of Musical Brilliance by the eminent sitar maestro Niladri Kumar
Hyderabad is days away from witnessing one of its most stirring cultural experiences as India Dream — One Root, Infinite Melodies unfolds at Shilpakala Vedika on December 7, 2025. Presented by RNH Events, this visionary production by sitar maestro and innovation-driven performer Niladri Kumar goes beyond concert territory; it promises immersion — a journey through time, tradition, sound, technology and memory.
A Concept that Travels Through India’s Musical Soul
India Dream is built on the idea of movement — of musical evolution, cultural exchange and harmony. Its structure follows India’s artistic story from the soul of ancient ragas to the experimental ease of contemporary genres.
Every segment reflects a chapter: devotion, growth, collaboration, experimentation and transcendence. The centre of this continuum is Niladri’s sitar and his groundbreaking zitar — an electronic adaptation of the sitar that has drawn global acclaim for expanding how audiences engage with Indian classical sound.
Joining him on stage is a stellar ensemble of acclaimed musicians:
* Sitar & Zitar: Niladri Kumar
* Tabla: Satyajit Talwalkar
* Keys: Agnelo Fernandes
* Drums: Sambit Chatterjee
* Percussion: Shikhar Naad Qureshi
* Flute: Hrishikesh Mazumdar
…along with other leading artists who together weave a multi-layered, immersive sound experience.
A Tribute That Defies Time: Remembering Ustad Zakir Hussain
One of the most emotionally anticipated moments of the evening is a special tribute to Ustad Zakir Hussain, the global icon who transformed tabla and expanded the vocabulary of Indian classical performance.
Niladri Kumar’s long-standing musical partnership with the maestro is well documented — soulful, playful, deeply intuitive — and India Dream honours this artistic bond in a way audiences have never seen before.
At the press conference held in Hyderabad, Reshma Hussain of RNH Events shared the essence of this tribute:
“Through technology and music, Niladri has made it possible for Hyderabad audiences to experience Zakirji performing with him again. This jugalbandi is not symbolic — it is felt, seen, and lived.”
With Zakir Hussain’s death anniversary on December 15, this segment becomes memory, a homage and a moment of collective emotion.
Niladri Kumar: Legacy Meets Reinvention
A fifth-generation sitarist trained under his father and guru Pt. Kartick Kumar, Niladri carries lineage in one hand and invention in the other. His creation of the zitar — a performance instrument that bridges classical purity and contemporary sound — is now celebrated as one of India’s most influential artistic innovations of recent times.
India Dream amplifies this spirit. It brings technology, tradition and experimentation into one orchestral space — not replacing heritage, but extending its language.
RNH Events: Curating Experience, Not Entertainment
India Dream is presented by RNH Events, whose work spans more than three decades. Founded in Dubai in 1993, RNH productions include Remember Shakti, Planet Drum, Cross Currents, Tabla Beat Science and the Grammy-winning Remember Shakti that have been staged across Dubai, London and Hyderabad.
Since expanding to Hyderabad in 2010, RNH has presented landmark events featuring Zakir Hussain, Shiv–Hari, Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, Rahul Sharma, and acclaimed theatre productions such as Tumhari Amrita, Kaifi Aur Main, Humare Ram and Chakravyuh.
“At RNH, we don’t chase numbers — we pursue quality,” Reshma Hussain said. “We were told people don’t buy tickets in Hyderabad. Every show we did sold out. Hyderabad understands culture.”
India Dream Makes Its Hyderabad Debut
Niladri’s India Dream debuted at NMACC in Mumbai earlier this year to a packed house, and Hyderabad now becomes the second city to witness it. Tickets, available on BookMyShow, are selling fast — another full house seems imminent.
In a message to the media, Niladri expressed what India Dream means to him:
“The music I have experienced in my journey — the people and heritage that influenced me — all find space here. India Dream is an endeavour to keep tradition alive while bringing it into the modern.”*
As Hyderabad readies itself, India Dream promises not just performance but emotion — a moment where instruments converse, technology remembers, and music becomes celebration.
Venue: Shilpakala Vedika
Date: December 7, 2025
Tickets: Available on BookMyShow
