Feature

5 Mumbai Indie Bands Every Gig-Goer Should Know

Five Mumbai bands that built the city's gig circuit: a poetic alt-rock group, a six-piece harmony band, a rock pioneer from the 1980s, a chaotic metalcore crew and the first Indian band at Glastonbury.

@de27 Oct 2026

The Yellow Diary

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More on The Yellow DiarySpud in the BoxIndus CreedBhayanak MautPentagram

Mumbai's independent music runs on its gig circuit, from college festivals and pub stages to Bacardi NH7 Weekender, and the city has sent rock, alt-rock and metal bands across India for four decades.

This list covers five Mumbai bands worth seeing or catching up on, from 1980s and 1990s rock names to bands that rose in the 2010s.

Each entry covers who they are and three tracks to play first.

For more on the city, see Mumbai Indie Scene: Venues, Labels, Rising Acts and 5 Essential Indian Metal Bands.

01
The Yellow Diary
Alt rock · Mumbai
The Yellow Diary is a Mumbai band that came together in 2015 when singer and lyricist Rajan Batra, a former merchant-navy cadet, met producer and keyboardist Himonshu Parikh. Its first song, "Marz", became its breakthrough after a deal with Sony Music, and Batra writes in Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi.
The EPs Marz and Izafa came out in 2018, followed by singles such as "Rab Raakha" and "Roz Roz" with Shilpa Rao. Its album In Case We Forget arrived in 2025, and the band has opened for A.R. Rahman's Wonderment tour.
Essential tracks
02
Spud in the Box
Alternative rock · Mumbai
Spud in the Box is a six-piece alternative rock band from Mumbai, formed in 2011 by college friends. The line-up is Ankit Dayal, Rohan Rajadhyaksha, Siddharth Talwar, Hartej Sawhney, Zubin Bhathena and Joshua Singh, and the band is known for layered harmonies and a big live sound.
It released the EP Attention Please in 2013, produced by K.J. Singh, and the 12-track album Lead Feet Paper Shoes in 2016. It played festivals such as Bacardi NH7 Weekender and opened for Norah Jones before a long hiatus.
Essential tracks
03
Indus Creed
Rock · Mumbai
Indus Creed is a Mumbai rock band that began in 1984 as Rock Machine and took its current name in 1993. Singer Uday Benegal, guitarist Mahesh Tinaikar and keyboardist Zubin Balaporia were at its core through the first run.
The self-titled 1995 album, with "Pretty Child", made it one of India's best-known rock bands. It split in 1997, re-formed in 2010 and released Evolve, with "Fireflies", in 2012.
Essential tracks
04
Bhayanak Maut
Metalcore · Mumbai
Bhayanak Maut is a Mumbai metal band named after a B-grade Hindi horror film; the name translates to "Horrific Death". It is known for heavy, chaotic and often darkly funny metalcore and a fierce live show.
Its 2009 self-titled album, with "MNS Messenger" and "Ungentle", is a landmark of the Mumbai heavy scene, and the band has kept releasing singles such as "Just a Metal Kid" (2023).
Essential tracks
05
Pentagram
Alt rock / electronica · Mumbai
Pentagram is a Mumbai rock band active since 1994, fronted by Vishal Dadlani with guitarist Randolph Correia, bassist Papal Mane and drummer Shiraz Bhattacharya. Its sound runs from alternative hard rock to electronica.
Wins at IIT college rock contests led to a record deal. Its second album Up (2002) moved it towards electro rock, and in 2005 it became the first Indian band to play Glastonbury. "Voice", from It's OK, It's All Good (2007), won Song of the Year at the Jack Daniel's Indian Rock Awards; Bloodywood followed in 2011.
Essential tracks