MUMBAI: The foremost electronica duo in the country Tech Panda x Kenzani are known for their signature style of mixing international genres with Indian sounds but their latest project moves from the dancefloor to India’s only surviving opera house, the historic Royal Opera House.
The Delhi-based producers will present an original, theatrical musical – fusing contemporary electronic music with Hindustani classical – for the cultural revivalist platform IBTIDA-Ek Mehfil in Mumbai and Delhi. Tickets for the July 19 performance at the Royal Opera House are available here.
For Tech Panda and Kenzani, who have numerous record-busting hits like ‘Dilbar’, ‘Khoyo, ‘Indian Monsoon’ to their name, the musical presented a novel-but-much-awaited opportunity. “We have always made music that is deeply rooted to our culture and traditions, and this opportunity to curate an immersive experience with dancers, and singers is a dream come true,” says the duo.
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The duo are also travelling to Australia in June for their first-ever shows in the country, playing in Melbourne on June 27 and in Sydney on June 28.
For IBTIDA-Ek Mehfil, which has been conceptualised as a living homage to the rich tapestry of India’s cultural traditions SURRENDER/Atmasamarpan – a bold confluence of Hindustani classical music and contemporary Indian electronica – marks their first foray into electronic music.
Founded by Tanvi Singh Bhatia and Anubhav Jain, IBTIDA-Ek Mehfil has carved a niche for itself as a cultural revivalist movement, curating deeply immersive mehfils and baithaks that honour India’s artistic legacy. With SURRENDER/Atmasamarpan, the platform enters new territory — blending ancient traditions with the cutting edge of sound and storytelling.
“SURRENDER is an invitation to shed performance, expectation, even ego — to dissolve into the music,” says Tanvi Singh Bhatia, curator and co-founder of IBTIDA. “It’s about vulnerability. Whether to a raag, a beloved, or the divine. And who better to guide us there than artists who honour the old while playing in the new?” she adds.
SURRENDER/Atmasamarpan – The experimental baithak
In SURRENDER, stripped-down electronic versions of Tech Panda x Kenzani original tracks form the backbone of the two-hour long show which will be an ode to the traditions of the Delhi gharana. The performance – a reimagined baithak, where the timeless soul of Hindustani tradition converses with the vibrant energy of contemporary electronica – will also include musicians such as dhrupad and khayal vocalist Arman Dehlvi and ghazal singer Vani Babbar, Suhel Saeed Khan on the sarangi, Rohit Prasanna on the flute, and kathak dancers Amrapali Bhandari and Priyanka Kapil.
“We are creating new iterations of our music with these musicians on stage, maintaining the essence of the classical sounds and modernising it for a modern audience,” the ‘Dilbar’ hitmakers explain.
Tech Panda and Kenzani, who began 2025 showcasing a new, Afro-leaning sound, also recently released a new single, ‘Duniya’ that samples a 16th century qawwali. Festival-ready, nostalgic and strong, ‘Duniya’ strikes the perfect balance between melodic techno energy and Afrohouse emotion. Hot on the heels of ‘Ek Tara’ and ‘Khoyo Again’, ‘Duniya’ crystallises the producers’ commitment to exploring their creative universe, while staying true to their carefully curated, decade-long sonic aesthetic. You can stream ‘Duniya’ here.
