The year 2023 has been one of the milestone years for India with a lot to celebrate. While the country charted history with its successful moon mission — Chandrayaan 3, the new parliament house, over 100 medals at the Asian Games 2023, the G2O summit, and the Cricket World Cup, the country also became host to many cultural and social events. A luxury brand held its fashion show in Mumbai and one of India’s biggest cultural centres and a luxury mall opened in the city, and world-renowned musicians performed in the country for the first time.
A rundown of the key events that shaped the cultural landscape of the Maximum City and in turn, the country.
G2O summit
As part of the G2O Summit in India, the G-20 Research and Innovation Initiative Gathering (RIIG) Summit and Research Ministers’ Meeting was held in Mumbai in July 2023. 107 foreign delegates including Research Ministers from 29 G-20 members, guest countries and international organisations participated in the meeting.
The grand launch of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre
Mama Mia |
India’s first-of-its-kind, multi-disciplinary cultural space, the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, opened in March 2023, with an exquisite showcase of the best of India across music, theatre, fine arts and crafts to audiences from India and the world. The launch was marked by the who’s who of the country apart from the bigwigs of Bollywood. The centre offers free access for children, students, senior citizens, and the differently-abled. So far, NMACC has been a host to several international shows like Mama Mia, West Side Story, The Sound of Music.
India’s largest luxury mall
Nestled in the prestigious Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Jio World Plaza is touted to be the nation’s most exclusive and extravagant mall, promising an unparalleled shopping experience. Beyond the allure of prestigious luxury brands, the mall offers an immersive experience akin to a lavish vacation. Its interiors, characterised by lofty vaulted ceilings and ambient lighting, along with subtle gold accents and exquisite artwork, exude warmth, and elegance. The mall has a line-up of prestigious brands, encompassing renowned jewellers like Cartier and Bulgari, esteemed fashion houses such as Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga. Luxury watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen and premium luggage manufacturer Rimowa, make their debut in India.
Art Mumbai
Pic: Salman Ansari
In 2023, Mumbai hosted its first art fair. Titled, Art Mumbai, the four-day event featured more than 53 galleries from different cities in India, the Middle East, London, and New York at Mahalaxmi Race Course. From the works of modern artists like M F Hussain, and Amrita Sher-Gil to huge installations by the likes of Paresh Maity, Art Mumbai featured a host of events such as heritage walksto Koliwada, dinners at art collectors’ homes etc. showcasing engaging art and different facets of the art ecosystem. For a more city-centric art thrill, there was the Mumbai Urban Art Festival 2023. Many flocked to the Sassoon Dock where one saw the best public art installation across the fishing site. The festival’s key themes were water, community and hyper-local history.
Dior’s fashion show debut in city
The French Madison put on an extravagant Autumn 2023 show at the iconic Gateway of India as the historic monument turned into a runway for the evening unveiling the 99 new styles in its latest collection.
Dior collaborated with the Chanakya school of embroidery, led by Karishma Swali.
International artistes in India
Rema |
Nigerian singer, songwriter and rapper Rema took the music world by storm after his Calm Down song during the pandemic. The musician’s event was highly anticipated in India. He performed some of his biggest hits along with new music from his latest album, Rave & Roses. Another legend to come to Mumbai was the guitarist Steve Vai who performed at Dublin Square in Phoenix Marketcity Mumbai in Kurla. During his India tour, he presented some of his new compositions as well.
K-pop stars sizzle
Jackson Wang |
K-pop fans were excited to see and hear Jackson Wang who arrived in India to perform at the Lollapalooza 2023 held in Mumbai. He was the first K-pop sensation to perform in the country and was received by his fans in large numbers at the Mumbai airport. He performed hits from his latest album, Magic Man which made his fans go beserk. Another K-pop sensation Kim Woojin too performed in Mumbai during his Indian tour in October this year. He performed songs from his latest album, Bounce. In his exclusive interview with FPJ, he said, “I’m looking forward to how passionate Indian fans’ love for K-pop would be.”
Lollapalooza
Imagine Dragons |
The year 2023 started on a musical note with the American music festival Lollapalooza’s debut edition in India. This musical extravaganza became one of the biggest crowd-pullers in Mumbai since the COVID wave ended and was the first time that the festival was being staged in Asia. Indie band Easy Wanderlings opened the festival to a big crowd for an afternoon set, while American pop-rock group Imagine Dragons were the headliners for the night. The festival also marked Imagine Dragons’s debut in India and so as The Strokes as one of the headliners of the festival.
Kygo Palm Tree Music Festival
The popular Palm Tree Music Festival made its debut in India in November 2023, in Mumbai. The sun-soaked extravaganza, co-founded by the renowned Norwegian producer Kygo (Kyrre Gorvell Dahll) and his manager Myles Shear, offered an unforgettable experience to music enthusiasts in the city. The highlight of the festival was Kygo himself taking the stage as the headliner, along with more international music sensations.
