The debut edition of UNIFYD, the music festival curated by Shah Rukh Khan, has grown considerably. More than a dozen additional artists have been confirmed alongside the previously announced headliners Arijit Singh and Karan Aujla, taking the one-day bill past 15 acts across multiple stages.
The festival takes place at Etihad Live on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, on Saturday 20 March 2027 — a weekend date that puts it comfortably within reach of Dubai audiences.
Who has been added
The newly confirmed names span playback, indie, hip-hop and electronic music: Jonita, Shalmali Kholgade, Patiala Mehfil, Simran Choudhary, Nooriyah, Curtain Blue, Tech Panda x Kenzani, Rusha & Blizza, Stick No Bills, BOH!B, Priyanka and Unnayanaa.
It is a deliberately broad spread. Rather than stacking the bill with film playback singers alone, the curation reaches across the independent and electronic scenes that have built sizeable followings outside the Bollywood system over the past decade.
Sonu Nigam’s festival first
The most notable addition is Sonu Nigam, who will perform a special set. According to organisers, it will be the veteran playback singer’s first appearance at a music festival.
That is a genuinely unusual booking. Nigam’s career has been built on film soundtracks and concert tours rather than the festival circuit, and a festival-format set from him represents something audiences have not previously had the chance to see.
Shah Rukh Khan steps behind the curtain
For Khan, the role of curator marks a departure from three decades spent in front of the camera.
“I’ve spent a lifetime telling stories on screen and watching them bring people together. Music has that same extraordinary power,” he said. “UNIFYD, produced by D’YAVOL Live along with District, will unite India’s most incredible artists on a shared stage for the first time.”
The framing is consistent with how Khan has described his recent ventures — moving from performer to producer and backer, while keeping his name attached as the draw.
Who is behind it
UNIFYD is produced by D’YAVOL Live and District, in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and Miral, and in association with Emirates NBD.
D’YAVOL Live sits within the D’YAVOL Luxury Collective, co-founded by Khan alongside his son Aryan Khan, Leti Blagoeva and Bunty Singh.
“Indian music is already global. UNIFYD gives that cultural force a festival platform that matches its scale, ambition and influence,” Singh said.
Organisers have signalled that the ambition extends past this one date, indicating plans to take UNIFYD to other cities following the Abu Dhabi debut.
How to get tickets
Tickets are sold exclusively through the District app — there is no alternative box office, so anyone planning to buy will need the app installed in advance.
An Emirates NBD cardholder presale ran from 9.30am UAE time on 19 October through to 9.30am on 20 October. General sale opens at 10.30am UAE time on 20 October.
Ticket prices had not been announced at the time of writing.
An easy trip from Dubai
For Dubai residents, the logistics are straightforward. Yas Island sits within comfortable driving distance of the city, and Etihad Live is part of an entertainment district well equipped for event traffic, with substantial parking and hotel capacity immediately around it.
The Saturday date helps. A late finish on a weekend evening leaves the option of either driving back the same night or booking a room on Yas and making a weekend of it — worth pricing early, given that a festival of this size will put pressure on nearby accommodation.
Why the booking matters
Dubai has long been one of the strongest markets outside India for Bollywood and Indian music, and the emirate’s connection to Khan in particular is well established — he has fronted Dubai tourism campaigns and remains among the most recognisable figures in the city’s entertainment conversation.
A festival with his name on it, held an hour or so down the road, will draw heavily from this side of the border. The broader point is that the UAE is increasingly where Indian live entertainment stages its biggest international moments, rather than treating the region as a secondary tour stop.
With more than 15 artists, multiple stages and a line-up that mixes stadium-scale headliners with independent acts, UNIFYD is positioned as a full festival rather than a concert with support slots — and the first of its kind to carry Khan’s curation.
Key details
Event: UNIFYD 2027
Date: Saturday 20 March 2027
Venue: Etihad Live, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
Line-up: Arijit Singh, Karan Aujla, Sonu Nigam (special set), Jonita, Shalmali Kholgade, Patiala Mehfil, Simran Choudhary, Nooriyah, Curtain Blue, Tech Panda x Kenzani, Rusha & Blizza, Stick No Bills, BOH!B, Priyanka, Unnayanaa
Emirates NBD presale: 19 October, 9.30am – 20 October, 9.30am UAE time
General sale: 20 October, 10.30am UAE time
Tickets: Exclusively on the District app
Prices: Not yet announced
