Catch India's biggest August events, from Indian Ocean live at DND The Venue Bengaluru to Niladri Kumaar's EKKA Tour and Papon in Delhi. Stand-up from Kunal Kamra, Abijit Ganguly, and NAMASTE TRUMP's Avinash Agarwal headlines the comedy circuit, while Anime India lands in Mumbai and realme hosts its first-ever music festival.
Wih the monsoon raging on in full force, August isn't really the ideal time for concerts. But that doesn't mean you have to turn into a homebody. This month, Indian Ocean returns to the stage after three decades of defining Indian fusion rock, while sitar virtuoso Niladri Kumaar brings his genre-bending EKKA tour to Delhi.
Between comedy nights, a first-of-its-kind music and culture festival, and an anime convention rolling into Mumbai, the month has enough spread to pull you out of the house more than once.
Kunal Kamra brings new material to The Underground Comedy Club in Koramangala, continuing his ongoing run of trial shows at the venue. The set carries his established style: sharp, current, and unafraid of political territory, tested in an intimate club room rather than a large auditorium. Audiences can expect work still being shaped night to night rather than a polished, touring hour.
When: August 3
Where: The Underground Comedy Club, Bengaluru
Abijit Ganguly performs a stand-up set built around married life, new fatherhood, and the general business of turning thirty-something without much dignity intact. The Delhi School of Economics graduate has built his reputation on bilingual, self-deprecating material that leans into the mundane rather than away from it, and this show continues that thread rather than departing from it.
When: August 8 and 15, 2026
Where: Ink A Laugh Standup comedy club, Vile Parle, Mumbai; Backspace, Pune
Rapper and producer Yashraj holds the first listening session under his independent IP, NoCode. Instead of being a conventional album launch, the session centres on curiosity and personal taste as things worth protecting from a culture that keeps trying to standardise them, using music and shared listening as the format for that idea.
When: August 9, 2026
Where: Aota Lab, Mumbai
Papon brings his blend of folk, Bollywood, and fusion to the Bhramkamal Auditorium at Yashobhoomi, running through a catalogue that spans "Moh Moh Ke Dhaage" and "Jiyein Kyun" to newer, more experimental work. Known for moving fluidly between Assamese folk roots and mainstream Hindi playback, Papon's live shows tend to lean on his range rather than settle into one register for the night.
When: August 16, 2026
Where: Bhramkamal Auditorium, Yashobhoomi Convention Centre, Delhi
Indian Ocean, among India's most enduring fusion rock acts, takes the stage at DND The Venue for an evening spanning over three decades of work blending rock, folk, and classical influences. Expect a set built around the band's defining catalogue, including "Kandisa," "Bandeh," and "Ma Rewa," and other such performances that the band built its reputation on since the 1990s.
When: August 16 - 17, 2026
Where: DND The Venue, Bengaluru
Step back in time as Phoenix Marketcity Mumbai presents Retro Rewind featuring Aditya Narayan. Known for his dynamic performances and infectious energy, Aditya will bring together timeless Bollywood classics and nostalgic favourites for an evening filled with music, memories, and singalong moments.
When: August 22, 2026
Where: Phoenix Marketcity, Mumbai
Anime India brings full-day programming across three stages to the Bombay Exhibition Centre, covering industry panels, live performances flown in from Japan, cosplay competitions, and an extensive show floor featuring franchises like Demon Slayer and Spy × Family. The event also includes an Artists Alley, a dedicated gaming zone, and a Japan Pavilion offering yukata trials and language activities for attendees.
When: August 28 - 30, 2026
Where: Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai
Sitar virtuoso Niladri Kumaar brings his EKKA tour to Yashobhoomi Convention Centre, spanning four decades of work across classical, contemporary, and film music. The show also features the Zitar, the electric sitar he invented, which has gone on to shape how a generation of Indian musicians think about the instrument. Expect a set built on both tradition and his own restless departures from it.
When: August 29, 2026
Where: Yashobhoomi Convention Centre, Delhi
realme's first music and culture festival brings Dhanda Nyoliwala and Chaar Diwaari to Yashobhoomi Convention Centre for an evening positioned as more than a brand activation. Dhanda Nyoliwala headlines on the strength of his ambition-driven hip-hop, while Chaar Diwaari brings a more experimental, visually driven approach to the genre. The festival also includes interactive experience zones beyond the two main sets.
When: August 29, 2026
Where: Yashobhoomi Convention Centre, Delhi
Avinash Agarwal, who went viral for his Donald Trump mimicry and later appeared on India's Got Latent Season 2, brings his character-driven stand-up hour to an India-wide tour. The show will include crowd roasting, storytelling, and live interaction built around his now-viral Indian Trump persona.
When: Multiple dates
Where: Multiple venues
Vivek Samtani brings his observational, anecdotal style to the stage, working through material on relationships, family, workplace absurdities, and daily social media life. Known for quick crowd work and a set that shifts depending on the room, Samtani's shows are built to feel different each time, relying on spontaneous interaction as much as prepared material.
When: Multiple dates
Where: Multiple venues