Fans divided as NH7 Weekender returns to Pune with focus on homegrown Indie talent

Pune: Fans are divided after organisers of the 2026 edition of ICONiQ White NH7 Weekender music festival announced a lineup that tilts towards Indian independent artists, with a marked absence of major international performers.The festival comes to Pune from March 13 to 15. Some prospective attendees have welcomed the return to the event's original purpose, while others said lack of international appeal would diminish the experience.
The festival first began in Pune in 2010. It was conceived as a multi-genre gathering aimed to introduce audiences to emerging artists, while bringing together communities of independent music listeners. Over the years, it expanded to other cities and gradually incorporated larger stage productions, comedy programming and high-profile international performers. Previous editions have featured global acts like Megadeth, Opeth, M.I.A. and Mark Ronson, alongside Indian artists, broadening the appeal to seekers of international and local music mix.This year, the lineup focuses firmly on Indian names, including Talwiinder, Prateek Kuhad, Indian Ocean and Nucleya, with a collaborative Nucleya and Friends set. Rhea Mehta, who will attend the festival, said, "I love that the lineup is more about Indian artists again. When I first went to NH7, the excitement was to discover bands I had never heard before. It felt like a music adventure. Bringing that focus back reminds me why I fell in love with the festival." A regular, Aditya Kulkarni, said, "There's so much talent in the Indie scene. Festivals should bring that to the stage. I'm excited to see artists like Talwiinder and Prateek Kuhad in a live festival setting, because that's where their music really connects with people."However, some fans are not convinced the approach will deliver the same draw as earlier editions, which included big international names. "I've been going to NH7 for years. A part of the thrill was seeing global acts you wouldn't normally get to watch in India. At least a couple of big international names make it feel like a festival," said BPO employee Sarthak Gupta.Sneha D'costa, another fan, said the ticket value was a concern. "The festival is fun, but the tickets are expensive. If the lineup is artists we can already see touring India, it becomes harder to justify spending so much," she said.Organisers said the programming direction is intentional and tied to the event's roots in Pune. "For a lot of people, NH7 Weekender is connected to personal memories such as first festival, discovering artists, long days that turned into nights and friendships that lasted well beyond the weekend. Pune has always been at the heart of the experience. This year's theme is rooted in nostalgia, presence and connection. It's an invitation to slow down, step away from screens and relive what makes live experiences special. The addition of comedy brings back the old feeling of shared laughter and being in the moment. NH7 is back in Pune in 2026 and it feels like coming a full circle to the city that helped shape those memories and the community around it," said Akshat Rathee, co-founder and managing director of NODWIN Gaming.