The city's most iconic street festival kicks off, a tabla legend gets a touching tribute, and you can finally hear the voice behind "Srivalli" live. Here's what's actually worth your weekend.
Look, January in Mumbai is usually that weird post-holiday lull where everyone's pretending to be productive. Not this weekend. This one's stacked.
Kala Ghoda Arts Festival opens on Friday. Sid Sriram is in town. Anoushka Shankar is celebrating 30 years on stage. The Indian Derby is back at Mahalaxmi. And if you can swing a drive to Nashik, SulaFest turns 15.
I've waded through the noise to find what's genuinely worth your time, from free art walks to sold-out-worthy theatre to the best Rs 450 you'll spend on live jazz. Here's the edit.
(Events sourced through AllEvents, NCPA listings, and some good old-fashioned digging. Dates and details verified as of publication, but always double-check before heading out.)
When: Jan 31 to Feb 8 (festival runs 9 days, but opening weekend is prime) Where: Kala Ghoda precinct, Fort area Cost: FREE
It's Mumbai's favourite annual excuse to wander South Mumbai like a tourist in your own city. The 26th edition transforms the streets around Jehangir Art Gallery into a sprawling outdoor gallery with art installations on footpaths, live performances in random corners, food stalls competing for your attention, and that particular energy that only happens when a neighbourhood goes fully pedestrian.
Opening weekend means fresh installations, buzzy crowds, and the best photo ops before everything gets picked over. Pro tip: go in the evening when the heat drops and the lighting gets interesting. Fort area cafes and Irani joints will be packed. That's part of the charm.
When: Saturday, Jan 31, 7 PM Where: Dome SVP Stadium, Worli Cost: ₹1,500 onwards
If you've ever caught yourself humming "Srivalli" or "Maate Vinadhuga" without meaning to, you already know why this matters. Sid Sriram has become the defining playback voice of South Indian cinema over the past few years, that rare singer who makes film songs feel like confessionals.
This is a proper arena show. Expect the crowd to sing back every word. If you're bringing someone who isn't familiar with his work, they will be by the end of the night. Find tickets and details on AllEvents.
When: Sunday, Feb 1, 7 PM Where: NSCI Dome Cost: Varies
Thirty years on stage. Eleven Grammy nominations. Ravi Shankar's daughter, sure, but Anoushka long ago stepped out of that shadow into something entirely her own, a sitarist who moves between classical ragas, electronic textures, and global collaborations without ever losing the thread.
The "Chapters Tour" is billed as a career retrospective. Given her range, that could mean anything from meditative acoustic passages to full-band groove. This one's for the music heads who want more than a setlist. They want a journey.
When: Sunday, Feb 1, 2 to 10 PM Where: Mahalaxmi Racecourse Cost: ₹1,000 onwards
Here's the thing about the Indian Derby: maybe 30% of attendees actually care about horse racing. The rest are there for the spectacle, the fashion, the champagne, the "see and be seen" energy that Mumbai doesn't really do any other day of the year.
This is ₹4 crore in prize money, Grade 1 racing, and the closest thing Mumbai has to a society event that isn't a wedding. Dress code is smart casuals (they mean it). The afternoon bleeds into evening, the betting windows stay open, and there's live music after the races wrap. Even if you don't know a furlong from a fetlock, the people-watching alone is worth the ticket.
When: Saturday, Jan 31, 6:30 PM Where: Tata Theatre, NCPA Cost: ₹450 to ₹1,350
Four-time Grammy-nominated drummer. Has played with Dave Holland, Chris Botti, and the Yellowjackets. And this is his first time performing in Mumbai.
The NCPA jazz programming often flies under the radar, but this is the real deal, an intimate 2-hour show with pianist Geoffrey Keezer in one of the city's best acoustic spaces. If you have even passing interest in live jazz, this is the move. The NCPA members' price is ₹450 for the back rows. That's absurdly good value.
Where: Prithvi Theatre, Juhu Age: 18+ for both
The Nether (Friday, Jan 30, 6 PM & 9 PM) Jennifer Haley's play about a virtual reality realm that raises uncomfortable questions about ethics, consent, and the nature of harm. It's been called "Black Mirror for the stage." Directed by Mohit Takalkar, starring Neil Bhoopalam. Not a date night play. A "sit with the discomfort" play.
Anatomy of a Suicide (Saturday & Sunday, Jan 31 & Feb 1, 4 PM & 8 PM) Alice Birch's acclaimed work follows three generations of women, their lives running simultaneously across the stage. Structurally ambitious, emotionally devastating. Also directed by Takalkar. 2.5 hours.
These are Aasakta Kalamanch productions, and if you know Pune's theatre scene, you know they don't do light work. Two of the strongest English-language productions coming through Mumbai this season.
When: Through Feb 3, daily 12 to 8 PM Where: Dilip Piramal Art Gallery, NCPA Cost: FREE (registration required)
A quiet, essential memorial. Photographer Dayanita Singh spent over 40 years documenting Zakir Hussain, in rehearsal, in performance, in conversation, in stillness. This exhibition draws from that entire archive, including unseen images and personal moments that never made it into her published books.
The show runs through Feb 3, which marks what would have been Zakir ji's father Alla Rakha's barsi. There's no flashy opening night, no Instagram-friendly installation, just decades of images that capture what it looked like to be near genius. Skip the rush, go on a weekday afternoon, and take your time.
When: Jan 31 & Feb 1, 12:30 PM onwards Where: Sula Vineyards, Nashik (about 3 hours from Mumbai) Cost: ₹4,000+ for day passes
Not technically "in Mumbai," but Mumbaikars have been making the pilgrimage to SulaFest for 15 years now, and this anniversary edition has the lineup to match: Nucleya and King headline, with a deep supporting card across two stages.
It's a vineyard festival, so expect wine tastings, grape-stomping, sunset views across the hills, camping options, and that particular vibe of 20,000 people who all decided getting out of the city was the right call. Book your stay in advance. Nashik sells out. Check AllEvents for passes and schedules.
When: Jan 30 to Feb 1 Where: Nehru Centre, Worli Cost: Ticketed
4,500 paintings and sculptures from 35 galleries across India. If Kala Ghoda is street art energy, this is the gallery circuit, more curated, more commercial, more "I might actually buy something here" territory.
Good for: browsing across price points (there's work from emerging artists alongside established names), seeing what galleries across the country are pushing, and having actual conversations with artists who are often present at their booths.
When: Saturday, Jan 31, 7:45 PM Where: Ravindra Natya Mandir, Prabhadevi Cost: Ticketed
No vocals, just the compositions. Pancham's genius was always as much in the arrangements, the bass lines, the rhythmic hooks, the unexpected instrumentation, as in the melodies themselves. This is a full instrumental evening exploring that side of his work.
For: the R.D. Burman completist, the musician who wants to hear how those songs were actually built, or anyone who wants nostalgia without karaoke energy. Event details on AllEvents.
When: Through Feb 1 Where: Exhibition Ground, Sanpada (near Moraj Circle) Cost: Varies
Old-school circus. Acrobats, animal acts, the whole tent-and-sawdust deal. Rambo's been traveling India for decades, and their current Navi Mumbai run wraps on Feb 1.
Look, this isn't Cirque du Soleil. It's desi circus, a little rough around the edges, genuinely impressive physical feats, and the kind of thing that will make any kid under 10 lose their mind. Multiple show times daily.
Turetsky Choir / Friday, Jan 30, 7 PM at Royal Opera House. Russian choir performing "Songs of Unity." FREE with registration. Gorgeous venue, unusual programming.
Jashn-e-Urdu Grand Youth Mushaira / Saturday, Jan 31, 5 PM at Nehru Centre. The 10th annual Urdu poetry gathering. If you have any connection to the language, this is a warm, communal evening.
Manhar Udhas / Saturday, Jan 31, 9 PM at Smt. Zaverben Popatlal Sabhagraha, Borivali. Nearly 3 hours of ghazals in Gujarati and Hindi. For the patient listener.
NCPA Spectrum 2026 / Friday, Jan 30. Day 1 of an international dance festival. Check NCPA's site for exact programming.
What's the one event I shouldn't miss? Kala Ghoda opening weekend is free and defines Mumbai in a way nothing else does. Start there.
Best budget option? Zakir Hussain exhibition (free), Kala Ghoda (free), or Billy Kilson at NCPA (₹450 for back rows).
Best for families? Rambo Circus or Kala Ghoda. Skip the Derby unless your kids are patient.
What sold out? Zakir Khan's "Papa Yaar" at NMACC. Both nights, gone. If you have tickets, lucky you.
This weekend is too good to spend scrolling. Pick one thing, pick three things, just get out there. Mumbai's waiting.
Find more events for Mumbai on AllEvents and keep an eye on NCPA for last-minute additions.
