The Sufi Baithak by Bismil Brings the Soul of Qawwali Back to Mumbai

Bismil’s Sufi Baithak at NMACC Mumbai revived authentic qawwali, blending classical roots with modern staging, captivating audiences and marking a powerful cultural resurgence of Sufi music in India.

Baricci Group

Last Saturday The Grand Theatre at Mumbai's Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre experienced something that India will remember for years to come. The ancient art of sufism was reawakened at The Sufi Baithak alongside a spectacular display of lights that put everyone in the auditorium in a trance of spirituality. The air felt heavy with reverence, as the ancient pulse of qawwali beats got transferred into the modern world.

From the very first moment Mohd. Asif aka Bismil took to the stage, the audience was enthralled. With a voice that commands every dhun, every shurti, and that reaches the sky and the earth with the same intensity, Bismil took the listeners through a journey of this ancient musical style.

"We wanted to completely root back to our culture," Bismil shared backstage after the show. "The idea was to present Sufi music in its most authentic, original Qawwali style without any distractions."

The idea paid off beautifully. Thousands of listeners sat with their eyes closed, completely absorbed by the rhythm. And when they opened their eyes, they were welcomed with beautiful classical dance by backup dancers to accompany the singer. Between soaring vocal runs, Bismil’s carefully recited poetry left people lost in thought, moved by the weight of the words. The performance reminded everyone in the room what true Sufi music sounds like when it is allowed to breathe freely.

To hold a room of this magnitude requires a foundation built over decades, as did Bismil’s. Born into an established musical family, he broke away from family tradition by choosing the path of a vocalist rather than an instrumentalist. Recognizing the boy's natural inclination, his grandfather stepped in as his first guru when Bismil was barely five years old.

What followed were years of relentless, rigorous training under the esteemed Moradabad, Delhi, and Rampur gharanas. Yet, it was the emotional depth of Sufi poetry, heavily inspired by legends like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, that ultimately captured his heart.

This careful balance of poetry and classical singing has allowed Bismil to bring immense joy to countless people worldwide. Over the past few years, he has taken his Sufi mehfils to massive global venues. Last month, he embarked on a historic ten-city tour across the United States and Canada, introducing traditional Indian sounds to a massive international audience. He even graced a billboard in Times Square, an incredibly rare achievement for an independent Sufi artist.

Yet, his triumph at NMACC last saturday feels distinctly different. It marks a deliberate effort to anchor his legacy right here at home. Music industry observers are already noting how Bismil is single-handedly bringing back the Sufi era to India.

The sheer scale of the event hints at a future where traditional mehfils reclaim our most significant cultural spaces.

"I just want people to feel the same spiritual connection our ancestors felt when they sat down to listen to Sufi music," Bismil noted with a smile.

Given the standing ovation that echoed through NMACC, he is already making that vision a reality. Bismil is building a cultural legacy that could seamlessly command iconic, historic venues like the Red Fort, proving that the soul of Indian music remains in incredibly safe hands.