South Asian Music Identities through the lens of Pakistan and India
About this Event
This talk offers an overview of the music industries in India and Pakistan, examining how artists navigate identity, visibility, and cultural influence within rapidly evolving music ecosystems. Through one case study from each country, it explores the role of live entertainment, fandom, and cinema in shaping contemporary South Asian music identities across borders.
'South Asian Music Identities through the lens of Pakistan and India' is part of Factory International x British Council’s Global Creative Producers Programme, supported by Manchester Museum
About the Speakers:
Aleena Naghman
Aleena Naghman is a Pakistani music executive, artist manager, and cultural strategist with over 15 years of experience shaping the contemporary South Asian music landscape. Working at the intersection of music, culture, business, and live entertainment, she has played a key role in developing some of Pakistan’s most influential music acts and creative projects. Over the years, Aleena has managed and worked alongside some of the country’s leading artists including Young Stunners, Noori, Kashmir, Quratulain Balouch, and Taha G. Her work spans artist management, touring, brand partnerships, publishing, distribution, live production, legal frameworks, and artist rights : helping build sustainable ecosystems for musicians in an industry that is still rapidly evolving.
She has been instrumental in taking Pakistani music to international audiences through global tours and collaborations, including performances connected to platforms such as Wireless Festival Abu Dhabi and projects associated with artists including Travis Scott. Her work has also contributed to UK, Australia, Canada,Bangladesh and Nepal tours and cross-cultural live experiences that position Pakistani music within the wider global South Asian identity. Aleena has worked closely with the Sanjana Nagan Institute of Philosophy and Arts on cultural and artistic initiatives exploring South Asian identity, heritage, and creative expression. She has also represented Pakistan internationally in Shenzhen, China, where she delivered a presentation on the Veena — a rare indigenous instrument of Pakistan with only one remaining traditional practitioner. During this visit, she also collaborated with recording studios in China to document and explore the sonic and cultural significance of the instrument.
She recently worked closely on Pakistan’s first rap reality television show, The Rap Icon, and was also involved in the production of Pakistan’s first music film named Kattar Karachi, which won Best Film at the 2025 Lux Style Awards. Alongside independent projects, she has collaborated with major cultural and governmental organisations and continues to work on projects connected to Coke Studio and the future global expansion of Pakistani music. Through her work, Aleena has consistently focused on creating pathways for future generations of artists while advocating for the recognition, ownership, preservation, and global representation of South Asian music and culture.
Vishruti Bindal
Vishruti Bindal is a Music Supervisor, Creative Producer, and Arts Policy Consultant based in Bangalore with a decade of experience in music curation, project management, and events. She supervises music for original Netflix and Amazon productions in India and is the co-founder of Linear Festivals, currently co-producing the second edition of linearಬೆಂಗಳೂರು (linear bangalore), city's first 24-hour performing arts festival.
Previously, she led global conferences and education programmes on music and cultural policy as Head of Projects at Sound Diplomacy. Vishruti also co-founded Neon Culture and the Deccan Alternative Music Conference in India, a travelling conference and showcase festival that focussed on developing the South Indian music ecosystem. She has also been nominated for the 2026 International Entrepreneur of the Year Award by Music Ally, UK.
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