Shaam-e-Rekhta 2026 in Dubai

Shaam-e-Rekhta 2026 in Dubai brings two evenings of music, poetry and storytelling to the open-air Dubai Media City Amphitheatre on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 December. Presented by Rekhta, the organisation behind one of the largest online archives of Urdu poetry, the weekend opens with A. R. Rahman and closes with Javed Akhtar, joined by Meiyang Chang and Jahnvi Shrimankar. Each night has its own programme, and each ticket covers one guest on one date.

What is Rekhta?

Rekhta is run by the Rekhta Foundation, a non-profit set up to preserve and promote Urdu literature. Founded by Sanjiv Saraf, its website launched in New Delhi in January 2013 and has grown into a vast online library of e-books, poet biographies, ghazals, nazms and couplets, shown in Urdu, Devanagari and Roman scripts so that readers who cannot read the Urdu script can still enjoy the poetry.

Beyond the website, Rekhta is known for Jashn-e-Rekhta, its annual festival of poetry, music and stories in Delhi, as well as Shaam-e-Sher evenings for young poets and sister projects for Sufi writing, Hindi, Rajasthani and Gujarati literature. Shaam-e-Rekhta takes that spirit on the road: a festival-style evening where words and music share the stage.

The two nights

Both evenings follow the same timetable: doors open at 4pm, an introduction and showreel begin at 5:45pm, and the main performance starts at 6:15pm.

Saturday 12 December: A. R. Rahman

The first night opens with A. R. Rahman, the composer whose music has defined Indian cinema since his debut score for Roja in 1992. His work on Slumdog Millionaire won two Academy Awards and later two Grammy Awards, and his songs span Tamil and Hindi films from Bombay and Dil Se to Lagaan, Rang De Basanti and Rockstar. At a Rekhta evening, the focus on poetry and lyrics gives his melodies a different frame from a stadium concert.

Sunday 13 December: Javed Akhtar, Meiyang Chang and Jahnvi Shrimankar

The second night closes with Javed Akhtar, one of the most influential writers in Hindi cinema. As half of the screenwriting duo Salim–Javed he co-wrote classics such as Zanjeer, Deewaar and Sholay, and as a lyricist and Urdu poet he has written songs for films including 1942: A Love Story, Lagaan and Kal Ho Naa Ho. He has won five National Film Awards for Best Lyrics and received the Padma Bhushan, one of India’s highest civilian honours. Hearing him speak and recite is often the highlight for fans of his poetry.

He shares the evening with Meiyang Chang, the singer and actor who first came to national attention on Indian Idol in 2007 and has since appeared in films such as Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! and Bharat, and with singer Jahnvi Shrimankar, bringing live vocals to the mix of words and music.

Around the amphitheatre

Shaam-e-Rekhta is more than a stage show. Aiwan-e-Zaiqa brings a curated selection of food stalls, and Rekhta Bazaar sells books, merchandise, crafts and other cultural products, so it is worth giving yourself time between doors and the showreel to browse. Food and drink are sold in designated areas and are not included in the ticket.

Seating and tickets

Tickets come in six categories: Gold, Silver, Bronze and Standing at ground level, and Royal and Platinum on the elevated deck. A seat is guaranteed within your category, but not a specific seat or row, as seating is first come, first served. That makes arriving soon after doors open worthwhile if you care about where you sit. Tickets are sold online only through Platinumlist, with no sales at the venue, and there is no two-day pass, so buy a separate ticket for each evening if you want both.

Good to know

• All ages are welcome; minors must be with a parent or responsible adult, and everyone needs their own ticket.
• Professional cameras, video cameras and audio-recording equipment are not allowed.
• Outside food and drink may not be permitted under venue rules, and staff may ask for ID at entry.

Getting to Dubai Media City Amphitheatre

Parking is not included with tickets and is limited, especially at peak times, so the organisers recommend taxis, ride-hailing or public transport. By Metro, take the Red Line to Dubai Internet City station. By car from Dubai Marina, head along King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street onto Al Sufouh Road and stay on it until you reach Dubai Media City.

Who it suits

Shaam-e-Rekhta is for anyone who loves Hindi and Urdu film music, ghazals and the sound of well-chosen words. A. R. Rahman fans will want Saturday, while admirers of Javed Akhtar’s lyrics and poetry will head for Sunday. With an all-ages policy, it also makes a cultural evening for several generations of a family together.

For more ideas, browse art and culture in the UAE, see our guide to concerts in Dubai, or check things to do this weekend and in December.