Arijit Singh, Sonu, Karan Aujla to headline SRK's UNIFYD music festival in Abu Dhabi

Actor Shah Rukh Khan has announced a new international music initiative, UNIFYD Festival, featuring playback singers Arijit Singh and Sonu Nigam, alongside Punjabi artist Karan Aujla as headliners for its inaugural edition on March 20, 2027, in Abu Dhabi.Curated by Khan, the single-day event will take place at Etihad Live on Yas Island, UAE, aimed at showcasing South Asian musical talent to global and Middle Eastern audiences. The event is produced by D’YAVOL Live in collaboration with entertainment platform District.The initial phase of the line-up brings together three distinct musical genres — Arijit’s contemporary romantic ballads, Sonu’s classic pop catalog, and Aujla’s Punjabi hip-hop tracks. The festival will feature performances across multiple stages, with around 15 artists expected to be part of the final roster as further names are announced in the coming weeks.In a statement published by Rolling Stone, Shah Rukh Khan outlined the intent behind the event, saying, "I’ve spent a lifetime telling stories on screen and watching them bring people together. Music has that same extraordinary power (sic)." He added that the festival seeks to bring leading Indian musical artists onto a single platform on a grand scale.Organised in collaboration with Miral and Experience Abu Dhabi, the organisers plan to expand the festival format to other international cities following the Abu Dhabi launch. Early access ticketing for Emirates NBD cardholders opens on October 19, 2026, at 11:00 AM IST on the District app, followed by general sales on October 20.Meanwhile, Shah Rukh's last theatrical release was Dunki (2023), featuring actors Taapsee Pannu, Boman Irani, Vicky Kaushal, Vikram Kochhar and Anil Grover. The film was directed by Rajkumar Hirani and co-produced by Jio Studios, Red Chillies Entertainment and Rajkumar Hirani Films.Shah Rukh will next be seen in director Siddharth Anand's King (2026), featuring actors Deepika Padukone, Suhana Khan, Rani Mukerji, Abhishek Bachchan, Arshad Warsi and Abhay Verma in key roles. The film is set for a theatrical release on December 24, 2026.- Ends