Known for his Sufi music, singer and musician Bismil is all set to embark upon a seven-city India Tour, Bismil Ki Mehfil India Tour 2026. Set to take place in cities like Jaipur, Hyderabad, Indore, Ahmedabad, Pune, Mumbai, and Delhi, he recently sat down with MASHABLE INDIA for an EXCLUSIVE chat about what he has in store for the attendees of his concert. He also revealed how Sufi and Qawwali music have been a huge part of his life.
Take a look at the excerpts:
Being one of the first Indian Sufi artists to be recognised internationally, how different does it feel performing in India?
Being recognised internationally as an Indian Sufi artist is a very special feeling for me because everything I carry in my music comes from India. Our culture, our classical music, and our rich musical traditions have shaped me into the artist I am today.
Taking that art and culture to an international audience has been a completely different experience. When you perform outside India, you are singing Sufi music and Qawwali for people from so many different cultures and backgrounds, and yet you see them connecting with the same emotion. That is a very unique and beautiful feeling.
So yes, performing internationally has a different energy, but at the heart of it, whatever I know and whatever I represent on those stages is something India has given me. In a way, wherever I perform in the world, I carry a little piece of India with me.
What should your fans look forward to in this upcoming concert?
I think this concert is going to be very different for my audience, not just in terms of the experience, but musically too. I’ll be performing some of my new songs, and we’ve also reworked my Techno Sufi set quite a bit.
So, fans can expect something fresh and new, but also something deeply personal. I want them to feel emotionally connected through every moment of this India tour. Also, I’m truly excited about this tour, not only because of the music and the new experiences we’ve planned, but also because this is my first association with Z Live. It’s been wonderful collaborating with a team that is so committed and passionate. Everyone is working tirelessly to make this a memorable experience for fans, and I can’t wait to share it with audiences across the country.
Which city are you excited to perform the most in? Any special memories you would like to share?
I’m really excited to perform in every city, but Delhi and Mumbai are especially close to my heart. Those are the cities where we go larger than life with the production and try to create a different kind of experience each time.
Delhi and Mumbai have always given me so much love, and seeing thousands of people show up for Bismil Ki Mehfil just to sing along, celebrate, and become part of that vibe stays with me. So yes, while every city has its own energy, Delhi and Mumbai are two that I’m especially looking forward to.
You have trained under different gharanas and many recognised Ustads in the music industry. How has it shaped you as a person and as a musician?
I’ve been fortunate to learn from many great Ustads across different gharanas, and I’ve always tried to absorb something from each tradition and reflect it in my own voice and musical understanding.
The Moradabad gharana comes from my maternal grandfather’s side, and my grandfather belonged to the Lucknow gharana. Later, I trained in the Delhi gharana, learned from several other traditions, and currently I’m training in the Rampur gharana.
Every gharana has its own discipline and character, and learning from all of them has shaped me not just as a musician, but as a person. They’ve taught me humility, focus, and the idea that no matter how much you learn, you always remain a student of music.
Is there a particular Sufi poet or philosophy that has deeply influenced the way you think about music and life?
Baba Bulleh Shah has deeply influenced both my music and how I look at life. His poetry reminds me that spirituality is ultimately about love, humanity, and the heart. He taught that you can bring down walls and places of worship, but never break someone’s heart, because that’s where the Divine resides. That thought has changed my philosophy and given me a more compassionate lens, so I truly credit him for shaping both my musical thinking and who I am as a person.
If not a Sufi singer, which genre do you think you would have been drawn towards?
Honestly, it’s hard to imagine. Sufi and Qawwali are such a big part of who I am that I don’t really know what else I would have been doing. But I do feel that whatever musical path I took, I would have carried the essence of Indian music and culture with me. The genre might have been different, but my roots would probably have remained the same.
If your upcoming India tour had to be described through an Urdu phrase, what would it be?
“किसी से दिल लग जाने को मोहब्बत नहीं कहते, पर किसी के बग़ैर दिल न लगे, उसे मोहब्बत कहते हैं। (Falling in love with someone is not love, but when your heart cannot be at peace without someone, that is love).”
I think that perfectly captures how I feel about my audience. No matter where I perform, my heart keeps coming back to them. Sach kahu to mera bhi unke bina dil nahi lagta (Frankly speaking, my heart isn’t in it without them either). They’ve become a part of my journey and a part of who I am. So if I had to describe this India tour in one emotion, it would simply be mohabbat.
Everything To Know About Bismil Ki Mehfil India Tour 2026
Set to take place in Jaipur, Hyderabad, Indore, Ahmedabad, Pune, Mumbai, and Delhi, tickets for the concert are currently available on BookMyShow. Presented by Supermoon and Zee Live, his tour begins in Jaipur on November 14, 2026. More details about the tour schedule can be found on Bismil’s social media platforms as well as the ticket booking platforms.