iWorld
Candlelight concert series arrives in India for the first time
Mumbai: Candlelight Concerts, the globally acclaimed series of intimate multi-sensory live musical experiences, is all set to captivate India with the first performances in the country, happening in Mumbai, New Delhi and Faridabad from June 2024. Produced by Live Your City, a brand under the American company Fever Labs Inc, the leading global live-entertainment discovery platform, Candlelight Concerts are a series of original music concerts aimed at democratizing access to classical music by allowing people all over the world to enjoy live music performances in an intimate setting illuminated by thousands of candles.
The concerts line-up – starting in June across Mumbai and Delhi and getting to Faridabad in July– is a captivating blend of classical and contemporary music to cater to diverse musical preferences. Grand Hyatt Mumbai will host the India premiere with “Best Movie Soundtracks” on June 2. Music connoisseurs who miss the premiere will have another opportunity to experience the soundtracks on 13 July and 4 August. The Four Seasons in Mumbai will resonate with the anthems of Coldplay played by a local string quartet on 15 June, 19 July, and 17 August.
Delhi’s audiences can look forward to a classic musical journey with the elegance of “From Mozart to Chopin” at the SRCPA on 14 June, 12 July, and 9 August. The same venue will reverberate to “Best Movie Soundtracks” on June 28, July 26, and August 23, while Le Meridien will come alive with the vibrant energy of Coldplay’s iconic hits reinterpreted with classical instruments on 16 June, 6 July, and 16 August. These Candlelight Concert programs will also reach the Radisson Blu Hotel in Faridabad from 5 July.
“We are thrilled to see outstanding places in India being transformed by our renowned candlelit setting,” said Live Your City regional general manager of MENA, APAC & India Rachid Elameri. “Candlelight concerts’s mission is to democratize access to classical music while working with unique spaces that are part of each city’s cultural heritage, giving visibility to talented local artists, and bringing a wide variety of programs to attend local audiences’ expectations and meet all tastes. We believe that the Candlelight Concerts will resonate deeply with Indian audiences, who have a rich appreciation for art, culture, and music”.
“We are deeply honored to showcase the globally renowned Candlelight Concert Series and host its premiere performance in India at the Grand Hyatt Mumbai,” said Hyatt West India general manager and area vice president Dietmar Kielnhofer. “Our commitment to creating exceptional and memorable experiences for our guests is reflected in every detail of these enchanting concerts. The ambiance of thousands of candles combined with mesmerizing music will provide an unforgettable evening for our guests. We are excited to be at the forefront of this cultural journey, making classical music accessible and engaging for a new generation of enthusiasts.”
The candlelight concept is particularly renowned for taking classical concerts beyond opera houses and concert halls and into venues that are part of each city’s cultural scene. Candlelight concerts of varying scales have been hosted in all kinds of idyllic locations, spanning from modern rooftops with great views to iconic cathedrals, palaces, libraries, gardens and more. Amongst the most iconic of these locations have been the Atomium in Belgium, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah in Dubai, among others. This is the first time that these unique experiences are being held in India.
Check out the upcoming programming in India:
Mumbai
Candlelight: Best movie soundtracks
Venue: Grand Hyatt Mumbai
Dates and Times: 2 June, 13 July, 4 August (Time- 18:30 & 21:00 )
Duration: 60 minutes
Musicians: Local String Quartet – to be announced soon
Value: 1 Ticket – from 1,199 onwards
Candlelight: Tribute to Coldplay
Venue: Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai
Dates and Times: 15 June, 19 July (Time- 17:00, 19:00 & 21:00 )
Duration: 60 minutes
Musicians: Local String Quartet – to be announced soon
Value: 1 Ticket – from 1,499 onwards
Candlelight: From Mozart to Chopin
Venue: Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai
Dates and Times: 17 August(Time- 17:00, 19:00 & 21:00 )
Duration: 60 minutes
Musicians: Pianist – Tavan Shah
Value: 1 Ticket – from 1,499 onwards
Delhi
Candlelight: From Mozart to Chopin
Venue: Shri Ram Centre for Performing Arts (SRCPA)
Dates and Times: 14 June, 12 July, 9 August 9 (Time- 18:30 & 20:30)
Duration: 60 minutes
Musicians: Pianist – Vashu Tangri
Value: 1 Ticket – from 1,199 onwards
Candlelight: Best Movie Soundtracks
Venue: Shri Ram Centre for Performing Arts (SRCPA)
Dates and Times: 28 June, 26 July, 23 August (Time-18:30 & 20:30)
Duration: 60 minutes
Musicians: Local String Quartet – to be announced soon
Value: 1 Ticket – from 1,199 onwards
Candlelight: Tribute to Coldplay
Venue: Le Meridien
Dates and Times: 16 June, 6 July, 16 August (Time- 18:15 & 21:00)
Duration: 60 minutes
Musicians: Pianist – Vashu Tangri
Value: 1 Ticket – from 1,499 onwards
Faridabad
Candlelight: Tribute to Coldplay
Venue: Radisson Blu Hotel
Dates and Times: 5 July (Time- 19:00)
Duration: 60 minutes
Musicians: Local Pianist – To be announced soon
Value: 1 Ticket – from 1,199 onwards
Candlelight: From Mozart to Chopin
Venue: Radisson Blu Hotel
Dates and Times: 5 July (Time- 21:00)
Duration: 60 minutes
Musicians: Local Pianist – To be announced soon
Value: 1 Ticket – from 1,199 onwards
Candlelight: Best Movie Soundtracks
Venue: Radisson Blu Hotel
Dates and Times: 10 August (Time- 19:00 & 21:00)
Duration: 60 minutes
Musicians: Local Pianist – To be announced soon
Value: 1 Ticket – from 1,199 onwards
Book your tickets now at https://liveyourcity.com/en
iWorld
Micro-Dramas Surge in India, Redefining Mobile Content Habits
Meta-Ormax study maps rapid rise of short-form storytelling among 18–44 audiences.
MUMBAI: Micro-dramas aren’t just short, they’re the snack that ate Indian entertainment, and now everyone’s bingeing between the sofa cushions. Meta, in partnership with Ormax Media, has released ‘Micro Dramas: The India Story’, a comprehensive study unveiled at the inaugural Meta Marketing Summit: Micro-Drama Edition. The report maps how the vertical, bite-sized format is reshaping content consumption for mobile-first audiences aged 18–44 across 14 states.
Conducted between November 2025 and January 2026 through 50 in-depth interviews and 2,000 personal surveys, the research reveals that 65 per cent of viewers discovered micro-dramas within the last year proof of explosive adoption. Nearly 89 per cent encounter the format through social feeds and recommendations, making algorithm-driven discovery the primary engine rather than active search.
Key viewing patterns show a median of 3.5 hours per week (about 30 minutes daily) spread across 7–8 short sessions. Consumption peaks between 8 pm and midnight, with additional spikes during commutes and work breaks classic “in-between moments” that the format fills perfectly. Around 57 per cent of viewing happens in ambient mode (while doing something else), and 90 per cent is solo, enabling more intimate, personal storytelling.
Romance, family drama and comedy lead genre preferences. Audiences show growing openness to AI-generated content, 47 per cent find it unique and creative, while only 6 per cent say they would avoid it entirely. Regional languages are surging after Hindi and English, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada dominate consumption.
Meta, director, media & entertainment (India) Shweta Bajpai said, “Micro-drama isn’t a passing trend, it’s rewriting the rules of Indian entertainment. In under a year, an entirely new category of platforms has emerged, built audience habits from scratch, and created a business vertical that is scaling fast.”
Ormax Media founder-CEO Shailesh Kapoor added, “Micro-dramas are beginning to show the early signs of becoming a distinct content category in India’s digital entertainment landscape. When a format aligns closely with how audiences naturally engage with their devices, it has the potential to scale very quickly.”
The study proposes ecosystem-wide responsibility, universal signposting of commercial intent, shared accountability among advertisers, platforms, creators, schools and parents, built-in safeguards, and formal media literacy in schools.
In a feed that never sleeps and a day that never stops, micro-dramas have slipped into the cracks of every spare minute turning 30-second stories into the new national pastime, one vertical swipe at a time.
