Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan has been named creative director of UNIFYD, a new Indian music festival set to debut on Yas Island on March 20, 2027. The event, staged at Etihad Live, is organised by D'Yavol Live and District in partnership with Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism and Miral.
Singers Arijit Singh and Karan Aujla have already been confirmed as headliners, while Sonu Nigam will make his first-ever festival appearance as part of a special set. Organisers say more than 15 artists will perform across multiple stages, with further names to be revealed in the coming weeks.
"I've spent a lifetime telling stories on screen and watching them bring people together. Music has that same extraordinary power," Khan said in a statement announcing his role. Bunty Singh, co-founder of D'Yavol Live, added that Indian music is already a global force and that UNIFYD gives it "a festival platform that matches its scale."
General ticket sales open on October 20 at 10:30am, exclusively through the District app, with pricing yet to be announced. The organisers have signalled plans to expand UNIFYD beyond Abu Dhabi to other cities and international markets once the debut edition has taken place.
The announcement adds to Abu Dhabi's growing calendar of large-scale music events on Yas Island, and is expected to draw South Asian music fans from across the Gulf region. For Khan, known primarily as an actor, the role marks a rare foray into curating a live music event rather than a film project, underscoring how far Indian pop culture's reach has grown across the Gulf's entertainment scene.