W.I.P Labs press kit

Kabira Khada Bazaar Mein

A rock opera by Dastaan LIVE on the songs of Bhisham Sahni's play on Kabir. 50+ stages in 15 cities.

Created and conceptualised by Baan G. Produced by W.I.P Labs.

The full Dastaan LIVE band on a low stage under pink and blue light, seated singers in front and guitarists standing behind, the audience in silhouette
Courtyard Koota, Bengaluru, October 2023

About

Kabira Khada Bazaar Mein is a rock opera built on the songs of Bhisham Sahni's 1982 play on the poet Kabir, staged by M.K. Raina with music by the late Panchanan Pathak.

Dastaan LIVE, the art-rock collective founded by Baan G, carries those songs into a full band with projected visuals. The show reinterprets the music of the play, keeping its core and updating the arrangements and instrumentation for audiences today.

Kabir's message of love and unity matters as much now as it ever has. The rock opera premiered at the Mahindra Kabira Festival in 2021 and has since played more than 50 stages in 15 cities.

At a glance

Form
Rock opera, live band with spoken word and projected visuals
Premiere
Mahindra Kabira Festival, 2021
Reach
50+ stages in 15 cities
Company
Dastaan LIVE

Credits

  • Baan G (Anirban Ghosh), Creator, bass guitar and spoken word
  • Kirti Sharma, Producer

Technical needs

  • Full live band with spoken word: drums, percussion, bass, guitars and several vocalists
  • Projected visuals
  • Full technical rider on request

Performed at

  • 2021 Premiere, Mahindra Kabira Festival
  • Sep 2023 Kunzum, New Delhi
  • Oct to Nov 2023 Bengaluru tour: Courtyard Koota, Bangalore International Centre, Medai, Bangalore Creative Circus, Bengaluru
  • Feb 2024 Sacred Amritsar, Amritsar
  • 29 Mar 2024 Little Stint II, Dhan Mill, New Delhi
  • 31 Aug 2024 The Piano Man, New Delhi
  • Dec 2024 W.I.P alt.FEST, Bengaluru and New Delhi (Depot 48)

Photographs

Four singers seated cross-legged at their microphones, one gesturing as he sings, a guitarist behind them
Courtyard Koota, Bengaluru
The ensemble standing in a line across the stage of The Piano Man under rings of chandelier lights
The Piano Man, New Delhi, August 2024
Singers raising their hands mid-song under blue light
Courtyard Koota, Bengaluru
The band with guitars and harmonium under blue spotlights, the Kabir projection on the screen behind
The Piano Man, New Delhi
The full ensemble on a rug-covered stage, seen from the audience, chandeliers above
The Piano Man, New Delhi
A performer in a turban playing harmonica into a microphone beside a drum kit
Courtyard Koota, Bengaluru

High-resolution photographs are available on request.