iWorld
Human Bondage’s founders reunite for multi-city tribute tour
BENGALURU: India’s early rock legacy returns to the stage this January as founding members of the seminal 1970s band Human Bondage reunite for a three-city concert series titled Tribute to Human Bondage, presented by BLR Airport with Air India Express as official travel partner.
The tour opens in Bengaluru on 16 January before travelling to Goa and concluding in Mumbai, offering audiences a rare revival of the raw, rebellious sound that shaped India’s formative rock years. The concerts bring together Human Bondage founder members Henry “Babu” Joseph and Ramesh Shotham, joined by jazz vocalist Radha Thomas at select venues, alongside contemporary jazz-fusion outfit the Rajeev Raja Combine.
Bengaluru serves as a symbolic launchpad for the series, marking a homecoming for a band deeply intertwined with the city’s early rock movement. Human Bondage, active through the 1970s and 1980s, remains a touchstone for Indian rock aficionados, known for blending Western rock and blues with a distinctive local sensibility.
Rajeev Raja, frontman of the Rajeev Raja Combine, said the collaboration was deeply personal, citing Joseph’s influence during his formative years as a musician. Henry Babu Joseph described the tour as an emotional reunion, revisiting cities where the band originally performed during its early years.
Beyond nostalgia, the series positions live music as a shared cultural experience, foregrounding musicianship, improvisation and collective energy over digital consumption. The concerts aim to introduce younger audiences to rock music in its most elemental form—unfiltered and performed live.
For BLR Airport, the collaboration reinforces its positioning as a cultural hub that supports live arts beyond transit spaces. Air India Express said its association reflects the airline’s wider engagement with India’s cultural ecosystem, including its ‘Tales of India’ initiative, which showcases indigenous art across its aircraft fleet.
Tribute to Human Bondage is powered by BrandMusiq and managed by StreaminLive. Tickets for the Mumbai show on 17 January at Fandom are available on SkillBox.
e-commerce
ITC Sunfeast, Zepto host mango-themed experiential ‘Paglu Party’
Event blends Alphonso desserts, DIY sessions and interactive formats
MUMBAI: When mango season peaks, some savour it others go full ‘paglu’. ITC Sunfeast Baked Creations, in collaboration with Zepto, turned summer indulgence into an immersive brand experience with its ‘Mango Paglu Party’, a high-energy, mango-themed event designed to blur the line between dessert and discovery. Built around the brand’s ‘Mad Over Mangoes’ universe, the space leaned into a sensory overload bright, playful and unapologetically mango-drenched. From curated installations to social-first corners, every element was designed to be as shareable as it was experiential.
At the centre of the celebration was the fruit itself, elevated into a menu crafted using fresh, carbide-free Alphonso mangoes sourced by Zepto. The spread ranged from a flaky Mango Pista Kouign Aman to Mango Coconut Serradura Pudding and a Mango Mascarpone Cake, balancing indulgence with seasonal freshness.
But this was not a passive tasting affair. Guests were drawn into the experience through interactive formats, including a DIY dessert session led by the brand’s chef, where attendees created classics like Mango Tres Leches. Zepto chief business officer Chandan Mehndiratta also joined the session, adding a touch of brand personality to the proceedings.
A quirky highlight came in the form of the ‘Aam Paglu Prescription’, a playful, doctor-themed concept that positioned mango indulgence as the only “treatment” worth taking, turning a simple insight into a memorable activation.
The event built up to a theatrical finale, with the crowning of the ‘Aam Paglu of the Day’ followed by the cutting of an oversized mango-shaped Mango Mascarpone Cake, closing the experience on a high note.
More than just a seasonal showcase, the Mango Paglu Party reflects a broader shift in brand storytelling, where products are no longer just consumed, but experienced. For ITC Sunfeast Baked Creations and Zepto, mango season was not just about flavour, it was about creating a moment that audiences could step into, engage with and, quite literally, devour.
