NDTV’s cultural platform Creators Manch returned with its second season on March 14–15, 2026, at Sundar Nursery, New Delhi, bringing together some of India’s most respected poets, writers, performers, and storytellers. The two-day gathering celebrated literature, music, poetry, and storytelling through live conversations and performances.

The festival opened with ‘Kavita Aaj Ki – Voice of Today’, featuring poet Manmeet Soni, highlighting the evolving voice of contemporary Hindi poetry. This was followed by ‘Kavita Ki Dhun – Where Poetry Meets Music’, where singer and performer Neeru Soni, also known as the Boxing Nightingale, blended poetry and music in a unique stage performance. A lively Jugalbandi session with poets Ismail Raaz, Zubair Ali Tabish, Sharya Kirti, Varun Anand, and Rohit Sharma added energy to the evening.

One of the key highlights of the first evening was ‘Khulti Girahen – Between the Lines’, a fireside conversation with actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, where he spoke about storytelling, cinema, and the emotional craft behind powerful narratives. The evening concluded with ‘Rhythmic Kamil’, a poetic-musical performance by celebrated lyricist Irshad Kamil and his band.

The second day focused on literature and creative expression across mediums. The session ‘Lekhak Ka Aakash – The Writer’s Horizon’ featured Vyomesh Shukla, Naveen Chaudhury, Jaya Jadwani, and publisher Alind Maheshwari, discussing the evolving landscape of writers and publishing in India. Sessions like ‘Kala Ka Anuvaad’ and ‘K Se Kavita’ explored poetry’s influence across artistic disciplines.

The evening also featured performances by Sadho Band, a Dastangoi by Himanshu Bajpai and Pragya Sharma, and a grand Mushaira ‘Shaam-e-Sukhan’ with renowned Urdu poets including Waseem Barelvi and Popular Meeruthi.

Through poetry, conversation, and performance, Creators Manch Season 2 celebrated the diversity and richness of India’s contemporary creative voices.