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Bismil to debut Sufi Techno in Dubai: 'Every generation should connect with it'
Ahead of bringing 'Bismil Ki Mehfil' to Dubai's Coca-Cola Arena on July 26, the singer opens up about his ambition to take the centuries-old genre to the world
- PUBLISHED: Sun 26 Jul 2026, 7:00 AM
Long before he understood the mathematical precision of a raga or the devotional depth of a qawwali, Mohd Asif was absorbing music through the floorboards of his childhood home in Laxmi Nagar, East Delhi. “My dada, my nana and my brother would all practise in front of me when I was barely a year old,” he recalls. “I was surrounded by music from the very beginning and I always knew this was what I wanted to do. The only thing I lacked was discipline.”
His grandfather, the revered sitar player Ustad Mohammad Ahmed Khadri, devised a clever reward system, with every hour of uninterrupted riyaz earning him a Rs10 coin. Sitting on the floor as the clock slowly ticked by, the five-year-old learned to endure the 'discipline' of practice until it finally gave way to genuine devotion.
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Decades later, that little boy from East Delhi, now popularly known as Bismil, is gearing up to step onto the ginormous stage of Dubai's Coca-Cola Arena for 'Bismil Ki Mehfil'. "This will be our biggest show in the Emirate yet," the singer tells Khaleej Times ahead of his July 26 concert.
The healing power of Sufi music
While years of classical training gave him a strong technical foundation, Bismil says it was personal heartbreak that eventually shaped his artistic voice. “Heartbreak taught me everything,” he adds. “That's when I started writing shayari, I was around 25 or 26. I just wanted somewhere to pour my emotions and that place became my diary and my pen.”
It was also during this period that he found a deeper connection with Sufi music, immersing himself in the works of legends, such as Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Abida Parveen. “I’ve listened to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan saab extensively and learned so much simply by hearing him,” he adds. “I never had a formal Sufi guru. Classical music is my foundation, but Sufi music gives you peace because it stirs something within you. It’s a medicine for your soul.”
Reinventing the Mehfil
While qawwali and Sufi music had long remained confined to hyper-traditional settings or fleeting appearances in film soundtracks, few artists were presenting them as large-scale, immersive live experiences designed for a contemporary audience.
“It all started during Covid, when we suddenly had no work,” Bismil recalls of the uncertain period that led to the idea. “My manager, Vibhor Hasija, suggested that since I had a classical background and an interest in Sufi music, we should create something around it. At that time, there was a gap in India. Nobody was really doing Sufi music or qawwali in this format.”
Taking a significant financial and creative gamble, the duo invested heavily in high-production audio and visual recordings. The risk paid off immediately, converting a slow period into a growing live music movement.
“We decided to fill that gap and create something that every generation could connect with,” says Bismil. “It was a huge risk because we invested a lot of money into the videos and audio, just to see how people would respond. Alhamdulillah, everything worked out beautifully.”
Dubai and the next chapter
Dubai has long been a recurring stop in Bismil's musical journey, but the upcoming performance marks a new era in his artistic ambitions. “I’ve performed in Dubai before, but those were much smaller shows in clubs and cafes,” he adds. “This is my biggest show in Dubai and the first time we’re bringing the full 'Bismil Ki Mehfil' experience to Coca-Cola Arena.”
And the ambition does not stop here. “After Dubai, we’ll have our India tour, followed by the US and Canada next year,” he reveals. “The world is watching Dubai and we want to make sure we deliver something worthy of that stage.”
Music without borders
The singer also admits he doesn't want Sufi music to remain locked inside a bubble of nostalgia. Instead, he sees it as a global sound that is capable of resonating with audiences far beyond South Asia. “I want to collaborate with many artists and take this genre to the international level,” he says. “I want to perform at Coachella and on stages around the world so I can connect with people who may not even know about Sufi music.”
That vision will come to life at his upcoming concert through the introduction of Sufi Techno. “For the first time in Dubai, I’m performing Sufi Techno, which is very different from traditional qawwali,” says Bismil. “I’m experimenting with music while making sure the authenticity remains intact. Old music is beautiful but what matters is how you present it for the next generation.”
'Bismil Ki Mehfil' is set to take over Coca-Cola Arena on July 26.
