{ "id": "epwg82xwsz", "slug": "coke-studio-bharat", "title": "Coke Studio Bharat", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series", "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted", "label": "Unscripted, reality, and web-native series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native", "label": "Web-native and streaming-original series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.indian_southasian_webseries", "label": "Indian and South Asian web series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.indian_southasian_webseries" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.indian_southasian_webseries.yr-2021-2025", "label": "Premiered 2021 to 2025", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.indian_southasian_webseries.yr-2021-2025" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native", "label": "India · 2021 and later: Web-native and streaming-original series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native", "path": [ { "id": "geo.ind", "label": "India", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021", "label": "India · 2021 and later", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series", "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted", "label": "Unscripted, reality, and web-native series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native", "label": "Web-native and streaming-original series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Coke Studio Bharat is Coca-Cola India's 2023 revival of the Coke Studio music franchise as a web series of music videos, following Coke Studio India (2011-2015), with seasons pairing Indian folk and regional traditions with contemporary artists.", "snippet": "Coke Studio Bharat is Coca-Cola India's 2023 revival of the Coke Studio music franchise as a web series of music videos, following Coke Studio India (2011-2015), with seasons pairing Indian folk and regional traditions with contemporary artists.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.indian_southasian_webseries.yr-2021-2025", "markdown": "# Coke Studio Bharat\n\n**Coke Studio Bharat** is an Indian web series of music videos produced by Coca-Cola India as the revival of the [Coke Studio](https://www.edgepedia.org/coke-studio) music franchise in India, launched in February 2023 after an eight-year hiatus and dedicated to pairing Indian folk, regional, and classical traditions with contemporary artists.[1](https://www.thedrum.com/news/coca-cola-relaunches-coke-studio-music-platform-connect-with-the-new-india) • [2](https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/leisure/story/20260615-essence-of-india-coke-studio-bharat-2922854-2026-06-06) The name uses *[Bharat](https://www.edgepedia.org/bharat)*, another name for India in Hindi.[1](https://www.thedrum.com/news/coca-cola-relaunches-coke-studio-music-platform-connect-with-the-new-india)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Launch | Announced February 2, 2023, in Mumbai; season 1 premiered February 7, 2023, with the debut track \"Udja\"[3](https://www.livemint.com/news/india/coke-studio-to-start-bharat-edition/amp-11675361963064.html) • [4](https://www.rediffusion.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Coke_Studio_Red_Lab_Report_NEW1.pdf) |\n| Predecessor | Coke Studio India, first launched in 2011 on MTV India as Coke Studio @ MTV, ran six editions, the last in 2015[1](https://www.thedrum.com/news/coca-cola-relaunches-coke-studio-music-platform-connect-with-the-new-india) • [5](https://www.sudeepaudio.com/saundcheck/coke-studio-bharat/) |\n| Season 1 scale | Over 50 artists from across India creating over 10 tracks; curated by Ankur Tewari with lyricist Kausar Munir and music producer K.J. Singh[1](https://www.thedrum.com/news/coca-cola-relaunches-coke-studio-music-platform-connect-with-the-new-india) |\n| Season theme | \"Apna Sunao\" (\"tell your own story\"), music described as rooted and authentic, curated for a global audience[6](https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/trends/entertainment/coca-cola-arnab-roy-coke-studio-bharat-interview-10107951.html) • [7](https://mirchi.in/stories/music/radio-mirchi-rj-anjali-wows-at-coke-studio-bharat-launch/98467095) |\n| Executive producer | Universal Music India for the launch season[1](https://www.thedrum.com/news/coca-cola-relaunches-coke-studio-music-platform-connect-with-the-new-india) |\n| Cumulative reach | Over five billion views across platforms reported by the platform's team by the fourth season[8](https://loudest.in/author/interviews/coke-studio-bharat-season-4-is-about-stories-rooted-in-indias-cultural-dna-shantanu-gangane-20002.html) |\n| Seasons | Four seasons between 2023 and 2026, the fourth beginning March 18, 2026 with \"Ae Ajnabee\"[9](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/music/coke-studio-bharat-returns-with-season-4-with-folk-sufi-songs-rekha-bhardwaj-faheem-abdullah-to-be-part-of-it-101773834656712-amp.html) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Plot\n\nThere is no narrative to spoil in the usual sense. Coke Studio Bharat is an anthology of songs, each a self-contained music video by a different combination of artists, and the \"story\" is the season's arc of releases and the moments that caught fire. The first release arrives on February 7, 2023: \"Udja,\" composed by OAFF and Savera, with vocals from Burrah, Jasleen Royal, and Savera Mehta, and lyrics by Burrah and Kausar Munir.[20](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/music/coke-studio-bharat-releases-first-song-udja-watch-8430047/) It is a bitter-sweet ode to hope and new beginnings, and it doubles as a statement of intent for the whole revival. The song spreads fast; by May it has nearly 50 million YouTube views.[21](https://old.radioandmusic.com/entertainment/editorial/news/230513-coke-studio-bharat-releases-stirring-tribute)\n\nThe second release, \"Holi Re Rasiya,\" leans into the festival calendar and tops 35 million views, followed by \"Taqdeer,\" which crosses 25 million.[21](https://old.radioandmusic.com/entertainment/editorial/news/230513-coke-studio-bharat-releases-stirring-tribute) Taqdeer retells the romance of [Heer Ranjha](https://www.edgepedia.org/heer-ranjha), the legendary Punjabi lovers of the mustard fields, and weaves in \"bait bazi,\" the old game of verse-completion, over Punjabi beats.[22](https://www.forbesindia.com/article/lifes/coke-studio-returns-with-a-renewed-approach-to-put-indias-musical-prodigies-in-the-limelight/85005/1) By this point four tracks alone have accumulated over 110 million streams on YouTube.[22](https://www.forbesindia.com/article/lifes/coke-studio-returns-with-a-renewed-approach-to-put-indias-musical-prodigies-in-the-limelight/85005/1)\n\n**Then comes \"Khalasi,\" the song the whole season is remembered by.** Released on July 5, 2023, it is the work of the trio of Achint, Aditya Gadhvi, and Saumya Joshi, and it tells of a sailor, the khalasi of the title, setting out to explore the shores of Gujarat.[23](https://www.thecommunique.news/post/coke-studio-bharat-releases-captivating-folklore-khalasi-by-achint-aditya-featuring-dhruv) What makes it work is the staging: the production builds an immersive soundscape out of body percussion, claps and slaps, and stomps layered into the rhythm, so the listener feels the crew of the boat keeping time.[23](https://www.thecommunique.news/post/coke-studio-bharat-releases-captivating-folklore-khalasi-by-achint-aditya-featuring-dhruv) The song hits number one on the Shazam Top 200, peaks at number 8 on Spotify's Global Viral Songs, and generates over 1.6 million user-generated creations on social media.[24](https://old.radioandmusic.com/entertainment/editorial/news/231102-coke-studio-bharats-khalasi-creates-history) By November 2023 it has surpassed 4.5 billion views across platforms, a figure Universal Music's Devraj Sanyal frames as a cultural moment that resonates even with listeners who do not understand a word of Gujarati.[24](https://old.radioandmusic.com/entertainment/editorial/news/231102-coke-studio-bharats-khalasi-creates-history)\n\nThe season rounds out with songs that dig into specific regional feeling. \"Kya Karie Korimol\" is a Kashmiri track about the bond between a bride and her father as they prepare for her wedding feast, a small domestic story told in a language rarely heard in mainstream Indian pop.[10](https://www.business-standard.com/companies/news/music-in-a-bottle-how-coke-studio-bharat-is-adding-fizz-to-coca-cola-123061600635_1.html) Twelve tracks later, the season closes having made its case: the youth of the hinterlands, singing in their own tongues, can out-stream Bollywood.\n\n#### Season 2\n\nThe series returns for a second season, again curated by Tewari, now with a think tank that also includes Swanand Kirkire alongside KJ Singh and Kausar Munir.[15](https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/coke-studio-bharat-season-2-concludes-with-unforgettable-musical-milestones-302339205.html) The big swing is \"MAGIC,\" the debut collaboration between Punjabi superstar [Diljit Dosanjh](https://www.edgepedia.org/diljit-dosanjh) and the Norwegian dance crew The Quick Style, famous for their viral wedding-guest moves. A folk-rooted vocalist paired with an internet-famous dance group becomes the season's signature image, and it pays off: \"MAGIC\" is the season's most loved song with over 34 million YouTube views.[25](https://www.mediainfoline.com/music/coke-studio-bharat-season-2-concludes-with-unforgettable-musical-milestones) \"MAGIC\" and \"SONCHADI\" trend with 347,000 and 114,000 reels respectively, and the season reaches over a billion people with tracks in Marathi, Haryanvi, Kumaoni, Punjabi, and Hindi.[15](https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/coke-studio-bharat-season-2-concludes-with-unforgettable-musical-milestones-302339205.html) After two seasons, Tewari departs, calling the journey one of bridging borders with the heartbeat of South Asian folk music.[15](https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/coke-studio-bharat-season-2-concludes-with-unforgettable-musical-milestones-302339205.html)\n\n### Characters\n\nAs an anthology, the series has curators and recurring creators rather than characters. **Ankur Tewari** is the curator and showrunner, the musician and producer who assembled the artist lineup and articulated the \"Apna Sunao\" mission of letting young artists tell their own stories.[26](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/ankur-tewari-kausar-munir-on-creating-coke-studio-bharat-and-the-indie-music-scene-in-india/article66479321.ece) **Kausar Munir** is the poet and lyricist on the think tank, co-writing lyrics including \"Udja.\"[20](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/music/coke-studio-bharat-releases-first-song-udja-watch-8430047/) **KJ Singh** is the National award-winning sound engineer and producer who anchors the sonic quality of the tracks.[27](https://www.cityairnews.com/content/coke-studio-bharat-celebrates-the-new-voice-of-india) **Aditya Gadhvi, Achint, and Saumya Joshi** are the Gujarati trio behind \"Khalasi,\" the season's breakout.[23](https://www.thecommunique.news/post/coke-studio-bharat-releases-captivating-folklore-khalasi-by-achint-aditya-featuring-dhruv) **Diljit Dosanjh and The Quick Style** headline season 2's biggest hit, \"MAGIC.\"[15](https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/coke-studio-bharat-season-2-concludes-with-unforgettable-musical-milestones-302339205.html)\n\n### Interpretations and controversies\n\nThe main debate is whether the revival is authentic or an ad campaign with a soundtrack. A February 2023 opinion piece in [Business Standard](https://www.edgepedia.org/business-standard) warned that the thing most likely to derail Coke Studio Bharat was its \"Bollywoodisation, and its advertising hype,\" contrasting it with Coke Studio Pakistan's fusion of traditional sounds into electronic landscapes, and noting the irony that half of Coke Studio Pakistan's listeners are in India.[28](https://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/will-a-new-improved-coke-studio-succeed-123021701256_1.html) • [29](https://newsletter.thesignal.co/p/coke-studio-bharat-pakistan-tamil) The QR codes on Coke bottles and the AR experiences drew the same charge of blurring music and marketing, though Coca-Cola's own data shows more than 80 percent of people entering the AR experience are under 25, which is exactly the audience the series wanted.[28](https://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/will-a-new-improved-coke-studio-succeed-123021701256_1.html) • [10](https://www.business-standard.com/companies/news/music-in-a-bottle-how-coke-studio-bharat-is-adding-fizz-to-coca-cola-123061600635_1.html) The \"Khalasi\" phenomenon, a regional-language song out-streaming everything, is widely cited as the counterargument to the skeptics.[24](https://old.radioandmusic.com/entertainment/editorial/news/231102-coke-studio-bharats-khalasi-creates-history)\n\n### Sequels, spin-offs, and adaptations\n\nThe series is itself a revival: Coke Studio India ran on MTV from 2011 to 2015, and the inaugural Coke Studio@MTV season remains the only one that went platinum for [Sony BMG](https://www.edgepedia.org/sony-bmg).[22](https://www.forbesindia.com/article/lifes/coke-studio-returns-with-a-renewed-approach-to-put-indias-musical-prodigies-in-the-limelight/85005/1) • [29](https://newsletter.thesignal.co/p/coke-studio-bharat-pakistan-tamil) Coke Studio Bharat ran for two seasons under Tewari before he stepped down.[15](https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/coke-studio-bharat-season-2-concludes-with-unforgettable-musical-milestones-302339205.html)\n\n## Background: Coke Studio in India\n\nCoke Studio began as a franchise celebrating authentic regional music. It debuted in Brazil in 2006 and was subsequently launched in Pakistan, the Middle East, Africa, the Philippines, and Bangladesh; Coke Studio Pakistan, which started in 2008, became the franchise's most prominent edition and continued running while the Indian version was dormant.[1](https://www.thedrum.com/news/coca-cola-relaunches-coke-studio-music-platform-connect-with-the-new-india) • [10](https://www.business-standard.com/companies/news/music-in-a-bottle-how-coke-studio-bharat-is-adding-fizz-to-coca-cola-123061600635_1.html)\n\nThe Indian edition, first launched in 2011 as Coke Studio @ MTV on MTV India, ran six editions with the final season in 2015.[1](https://www.thedrum.com/news/coca-cola-relaunches-coke-studio-music-platform-connect-with-the-new-india) Business Standard records that the earlier version, in its Coke Studio @ MTV incarnation, lasted barely four seasons and struggled to stand out in a market where Bollywood film music dominates, while facing constant comparison with Coke Studio Pakistan.[10](https://www.business-standard.com/companies/news/music-in-a-bottle-how-coke-studio-bharat-is-adding-fizz-to-coca-cola-123061600635_1.html) A Rediffusion analysis of the brand attributed the earlier edition's relative failure to a focus on well-known artists rather than local ones, which it described as moving away from the show's cultural core.[4](https://www.rediffusion.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Coke_Studio_Red_Lab_Report_NEW1.pdf)\n\n## Relaunch in 2023\n\nCoca-Cola India announced the return in two stages. On January 23, 2023, it announced Coke Studio Tamil, the platform's first language-specific edition anywhere in the world; Coke Studio Bharat followed, launched on February 7, 2023 with its first song.[11](https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/leisure/story/20230220-coke-studio-returns-tunes-for-a-new-india-2333132-2023-02-10) The two editions were stated to run independently of each other.[11](https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/leisure/story/20230220-coke-studio-returns-tunes-for-a-new-india-2333132-2023-02-10) A Coke Studio Bangla edition, based in Bangladesh, had launched the year before and, according to Arnab Roy, vice-president of marketing at Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia, provided learnings that shaped the Indian relaunch.[12](https://www.impactonnet.com/talking-point/coke-studio-travels-from-india-to-bharat-8142.html)\n\n**Positioning.** Roy framed the rebrand around audiences outside the major cities: \"The future of India in the next few years is going to be driven by the bold and confident citizens living in the smaller towns of Bharat.\"[1](https://www.thedrum.com/news/coca-cola-relaunches-coke-studio-music-platform-connect-with-the-new-india) He said promising singers from smaller towns would be given opportunities to showcase their talents.[13](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/web-stories/coke-studio-bharat-back-after-8-yrs-diljit-dosanjh-bangash-bros-a-part-of-line-up/slideshow/97575907.cms?from=mdr) At the launch, Piyush Pandey, chairman of global creative and executive chairman of Ogilvy India, described the project as an opportunity to move the classical to the \"massical\" level, where masses around the world could enjoy Indian music.[1](https://www.thedrum.com/news/coca-cola-relaunches-coke-studio-music-platform-connect-with-the-new-india)\n\n## Format and first season\n\nUnlike the earlier television program, Coke Studio Bharat is a web series comprising a collection of individual music videos, each by a different set of artists.[2](https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/leisure/story/20260615-essence-of-india-coke-studio-bharat-2922854-2026-06-06) The debut track \"Udja,\" released on February 7, 2023, was composed by OAFF and [Savera](https://www.edgepedia.org/savera), with vocals by Burrah, Jasleen Royal, and Savera Mehta, and lyrics by Burrah and Kausar Munir.[4](https://www.rediffusion.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Coke_Studio_Red_Lab_Report_NEW1.pdf)\n\nSeason 1 brought together more than 50 artists, including Diljit Dosanjh, Maithili Thakur, Seedhe Maut, Armaan Malik, Rashmeet Kaur, the Shillong Chamber Choir, and Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash, and spotlighted regional Indian instruments such as the algozha, chimta, duff, sarod, sarangi, tumbi, and rabaab.[5](https://www.sudeepaudio.com/saundcheck/coke-studio-bharat/) • [14](https://news.abplive.com/entertainment/coke-studio-returns-to-india-with-50-artistes-including-diljit-dosanjh-maithili-thakur-and-more-1579872) The season's theme, \"Apna Sunao,\" was described by Roy as music that tells the story of rootedness and authenticity, curated for a global audience.[6](https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/trends/entertainment/coca-cola-arnab-roy-coke-studio-bharat-interview-10107951.html)\n\n## Later seasons and reach\n\n**Season 2** concluded in December 2024. Its standout collaboration paired Diljit Dosanjh with the dance crew The Quick Style on the song \"Magic,\" and the season featured tracks in Marathi, Haryanvi, Kumaoni, Punjabi, and Hindi.[15](https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/coke-studio-bharat-season-2-concludes-with-unforgettable-musical-milestones-302339205.html)\n\n**Season 3** delivered chart-topping tracks including \"Arz Kiya Hai,\" a modern reinterpretation of India's poetry culture that topped Indian music charts, and the festival track \"Holi Aayi Re.\"[9](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/music/coke-studio-bharat-returns-with-season-4-with-folk-sufi-songs-rekha-bhardwaj-faheem-abdullah-to-be-part-of-it-101773834656712-amp.html) Shantanu Gangane, IMX Lead at Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia, credited the platform with milestones including \"Arz Kiya Hai\" reaching the top of Spotify's India charts and entering Spotify's daily global charts, \"Ishq Bawla\" becoming one of Instagram's most-used audio tracks, \"Holo Lolo\" earning state-level recognition in Assam, and \"Khalasi\" and \"Bayo\" being celebrated at Cannes Lions for diversity and inclusion in music; he put the platform's cumulative total at over five billion views across platforms.[8](https://loudest.in/author/interviews/coke-studio-bharat-season-4-is-about-stories-rooted-in-indias-cultural-dna-shantanu-gangane-20002.html)\n\n**Season 4** began on March 18, 2026 with \"Ae Ajnabee,\" performed by Aditya Rikhari, Ravator, and [Kutle Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/kutle-khan). The lineup spans veterans such as [Rekha Bhardwaj](https://www.edgepedia.org/rekha-bhardwaj) and Mame Khan alongside emerging voices including Faheem Abdullah and Aditya Rikhari, drawing on Rajasthani folk, Kashmiri narrative forms, Banaras-rooted traditions, and the Sufi lineage from Punjab.[9](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/music/coke-studio-bharat-returns-with-season-4-with-folk-sufi-songs-rekha-bhardwaj-faheem-abdullah-to-be-part-of-it-101773834656712-amp.html) The season's \"Kachaudi Gali,\" released May 20, 2026, marked a shift toward authentic folk, reworking a century-old Bhojpuri kajri about migration from [Purvanchal](https://www.edgepedia.org/purvanchal).[16](https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/art-and-culture/kachaudi-gali-to-coke-studio-how-a-bhojpuri-kajri-born-of-migration-became-an-internet-phenomenon-10709923/lite/)\n\n## Marketing and technology\n\nCoca-Cola integrated the property with its packaging. Each bottle carries a dynamic [QR code](https://www.edgepedia.org/qr-code) that, when scanned, opens an augmented reality, 360-degree experience of the show, including a karaoke option where a person can record and publish a song or audition for the next season.[10](https://www.business-standard.com/companies/news/music-in-a-bottle-how-coke-studio-bharat-is-adding-fizz-to-coca-cola-123061600635_1.html) Sumeli Chatterjee, head of Integrated Marketing and Experiences at Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia, described the bottle as the brand's biggest real estate, and the company monitors reception through technology and data analytics.[10](https://www.business-standard.com/companies/news/music-in-a-bottle-how-coke-studio-bharat-is-adding-fizz-to-coca-cola-123061600635_1.html) Roy told Mint that the India franchise would receive \"very considerable\" investment as a significant part of the brand [Coca-Cola](https://www.edgepedia.org/coca-cola) marketing budget.[3](https://www.livemint.com/news/india/coke-studio-to-start-bharat-edition/amp-11675361963064.html)\n\n## Reception and criticism\n\nThe platform's stated aim of bringing regional voices to the world has drawn both praise and criticism. Gangane argued that Coke Studio Bharat has shown that regional stories and artists can become global conversations, and that regional languages and folk traditions are increasingly becoming mainstream rather than alternatives to it.[8](https://loudest.in/author/interviews/coke-studio-bharat-season-4-is-about-stories-rooted-in-indias-cultural-dna-shantanu-gangane-20002.html)\n\nCritics have taken a different view. A Print opinion column argued that the catalog has for most of its existence stayed closer to mainstream artistes and indie music than to regional folk traditions, with few new voices, and that the folk music that should be at its heart remains underrepresented.[16](https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/art-and-culture/kachaudi-gali-to-coke-studio-how-a-bhojpuri-kajri-born-of-migration-became-an-internet-phenomenon-10709923/lite/) • [17](https://theprint.in/opinion/pov/india-coke-studio-mainstream-pakistan/3034450/) The Pakistani singer [Atif Aslam](https://www.edgepedia.org/atif-aslam), one of Coke Studio Pakistan's most recognizable voices, said in a 2026 interview with Mirchi UAE that both editions produce strong compositions but that the Indian version leans more heavily toward commercialism, while Coke Studio Pakistan emphasizes original compositions and gives artists more room for personal expression; he summarized the difference as \"jaadoo\" (magic).[18](https://tribune.com.pk/story/2627060/atif-aslam-says-magic-sets-coke-studio-pakistan-apart-from-indian-version?amp=1) • [19](https://english.aaj.tv/news/330470659/atif-aslam-says-coke-studio-pakistan-has-a-magic-missing-from-indias-version)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Coca-Cola relaunches Coke Studio music platform to connect with the new India, The Drum (February 2, 2023)](https://www.thedrum.com/news/coca-cola-relaunches-coke-studio-music-platform-connect-with-the-new-india)\n2. [Essence of India | Coke Studio Bharat, India Today (June 2026)](https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/leisure/story/20260615-essence-of-india-coke-studio-bharat-2922854-2026-06-06)\n3. [Coke Studio to start Bharat edition, Livemint (February 2, 2023)](https://www.livemint.com/news/india/coke-studio-to-start-bharat-edition/amp-11675361963064.html)\n4. [Coke Studio Red Lab Report, Rediffusion (February 2023)](https://www.rediffusion.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Coke_Studio_Red_Lab_Report_NEW1.pdf)\n5. [Coke Studio goes back to the future!, SAundCheck, Sudeep Audio (February 2023)](https://www.sudeepaudio.com/saundcheck/coke-studio-bharat/)\n6. [Coca-Cola's Arnab Roy: 'Coke Studio Bharat has brought both celebrated and emerging artists together on one platform', Moneycontrol (February 18, 2023)](https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/trends/entertainment/coca-cola-arnab-roy-coke-studio-bharat-interview-10107951.html)\n7. [Radio Mirchi RJ Anjali wows at Coke Studio Bharat launch, Mirchi (March 2023)](https://mirchi.in/stories/music/radio-mirchi-rj-anjali-wows-at-coke-studio-bharat-launch/98467095)\n8. [Coke Studio Bharat Season 4 Is About Stories Rooted In India's Cultural DNA: Shantanu Gangane, Loudest.in](https://loudest.in/author/interviews/coke-studio-bharat-season-4-is-about-stories-rooted-in-indias-cultural-dna-shantanu-gangane-20002.html)\n9. [Coke Studio Bharat returns with season 4 with folk, Sufi songs, Hindustan Times (March 18, 2026)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/music/coke-studio-bharat-returns-with-season-4-with-folk-sufi-songs-rekha-bhardwaj-faheem-abdullah-to-be-part-of-it-101773834656712-amp.html)\n10. [Music in a bottle: How Coke Studio Bharat is adding fizz to Coca-Cola, Business Standard (June 16, 2023)](https://www.business-standard.com/companies/news/music-in-a-bottle-how-coke-studio-bharat-is-adding-fizz-to-coca-cola-123061600635_1.html)\n11. [Coke Studio returns | Tunes for a new India, India Today (February 2023)](https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/leisure/story/20230220-coke-studio-returns-tunes-for-a-new-india-2333132-2023-02-10)\n12. [Coke Studio Travels from India to Bharat, Impact on Net (February 13, 2023)](https://www.impactonnet.com/talking-point/coke-studio-travels-from-india-to-bharat-8142.html)\n13. ['Coke Studio Bharat' Back After 8 Yrs; Diljit Dosanjh, Bangash Bros A Part Of Line-Up, Economic Times (February 3, 2023)](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/web-stories/coke-studio-bharat-back-after-8-yrs-diljit-dosanjh-bangash-bros-a-part-of-line-up/slideshow/97575907.cms?from=mdr)\n14. [Coke Studio Returns To India With 50 Artistes Including Diljit Dosanjh, Maithili Thakur And More, ABP Live (February 2023)](https://news.abplive.com/entertainment/coke-studio-returns-to-india-with-50-artistes-including-diljit-dosanjh-maithili-thakur-and-more-1579872)\n15. [Coke Studio Bharat Season 2 concludes with unforgettable musical milestones, PR Newswire (December 26, 2024)](https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/coke-studio-bharat-season-2-concludes-with-unforgettable-musical-milestones-302339205.html)\n16. [Kachaudi Gali to Coke Studio: How a Bhojpuri kajri born of migration became an internet phenomenon, The Indian Express (May 2026)](https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/art-and-culture/kachaudi-gali-to-coke-studio-how-a-bhojpuri-kajri-born-of-migration-became-an-internet-phenomenon-10709923/lite/)\n17. [India's Coke Studio is all about mainstream. Learn from Pakistan, The Print (September 2026)](https://theprint.in/opinion/pov/india-coke-studio-mainstream-pakistan/3034450/)\n18. [Atif Aslam says 'magic' sets Coke Studio Pakistan apart from Indian version, The Express Tribune (September 2, 2026)](https://tribune.com.pk/story/2627060/atif-aslam-says-magic-sets-coke-studio-pakistan-apart-from-indian-version?amp=1)\n19. [Atif Aslam says Coke Studio Pakistan has a 'magic' missing from India's version, Aaj English TV (September 2026)](https://english.aaj.tv/news/330470659/atif-aslam-says-coke-studio-pakistan-has-a-magic-missing-from-indias-version)\n20. [https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/music/coke-studio-bharat-releases-first-song-udja-watch-8430047/](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/music/coke-studio-bharat-releases-first-song-udja-watch-8430047/)\n21. [https://old.radioandmusic.com/entertainment/editorial/news/230513-coke-studio-bharat-releases-stirring-tribute](https://old.radioandmusic.com/entertainment/editorial/news/230513-coke-studio-bharat-releases-stirring-tribute)\n22. [https://www.forbesindia.com/article/lifes/coke-studio-returns-with-a-renewed-approach-to-put-indias-musical-prodigies-in-the-limelight/85005/1](https://www.forbesindia.com/article/lifes/coke-studio-returns-with-a-renewed-approach-to-put-indias-musical-prodigies-in-the-limelight/85005/1)\n23. [https://www.thecommunique.news/post/coke-studio-bharat-releases-captivating-folklore-khalasi-by-achint-aditya-featuring-dhruv](https://www.thecommunique.news/post/coke-studio-bharat-releases-captivating-folklore-khalasi-by-achint-aditya-featuring-dhruv)\n24. [https://old.radioandmusic.com/entertainment/editorial/news/231102-coke-studio-bharats-khalasi-creates-history](https://old.radioandmusic.com/entertainment/editorial/news/231102-coke-studio-bharats-khalasi-creates-history)\n25. [https://www.mediainfoline.com/music/coke-studio-bharat-season-2-concludes-with-unforgettable-musical-milestones](https://www.mediainfoline.com/music/coke-studio-bharat-season-2-concludes-with-unforgettable-musical-milestones)\n26. [https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/ankur-tewari-kausar-munir-on-creating-coke-studio-bharat-and-the-indie-music-scene-in-india/article66479321.ece](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/ankur-tewari-kausar-munir-on-creating-coke-studio-bharat-and-the-indie-music-scene-in-india/article66479321.ece)\n27. [https://www.cityairnews.com/content/coke-studio-bharat-celebrates-the-new-voice-of-india](https://www.cityairnews.com/content/coke-studio-bharat-celebrates-the-new-voice-of-india)\n28. [https://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/will-a-new-improved-coke-studio-succeed-123021701256_1.html](https://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/will-a-new-improved-coke-studio-succeed-123021701256_1.html)\n29. [https://newsletter.thesignal.co/p/coke-studio-bharat-pakistan-tamil](https://newsletter.thesignal.co/p/coke-studio-bharat-pakistan-tamil)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Unscripted, reality, and web-native series › Web-native and streaming-original series › Indian and South Asian web series › Premiered 2021 to 2025*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/coke-studio-bharat", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/coke-studio-bharat.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Coke Studio Bharat\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/coke-studio-bharat. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Coke Studio Bharat](https://www.edgepedia.org/coke-studio-bharat)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/coke-studio-bharat](https://www.edgepedia.org/coke-studio-bharat). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Coke Studio Bharat\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/coke-studio-bharat. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Coke Studio Bharat is Coca-Cola India's 2023 revival of the Coke Studio music franchise as a web series of music videos, following Coke Studio India, with seasons pairing Indian folk and regional traditions with contemporary artists." }