PEAKLIFE
24-Nov-2025
Celebrating a decade of the Piano Man, in conversation with Arjun Sagar Gupta.
The Piano Man has long been the place in the capital for those who crave live music at its finest—paired with delicious food, intimate designs, and a certain magic that only true artistry can create. Founded by Arjun Sagar Gupta, an engineer, a trained jazz pianist and a hospitality entrepreneur, the brand has grown far beyond a venue. It has become a movement. And this year, as The Piano Man turns 10, it stands as a testament to how a single vision can reshape a city’s cultural pulse.
Over the last decade, Arjun has cultivated a loyal community of music lovers and cultural enthusiasts with more than 11,000 shows featuring over 500 Indian and international artists, from Grammy award-winners to rising local stars. What began as a gourmet dining space that carved out room for live entertainment has evolved into a creative ecosystem that champions art in all its forms. Even the culinary philosophy has expanded—moving from Eurasian elegance to include a nuanced Indian menu that mirrors the brand’s musical identity: bold, rooted and beautifully reimagined.
PEAKLIFE gets in a conversation with Arjun Sagar Gupta, the visionary behind The Piano Man, to explore the mind, intention and ambition driving one of India’s earliest and most influential artist-first restaurants.
(Arjun Sagar Gupta, Founder, Piano Man)
Excerpts of the conversation below:
1. Congratulations on completing 10 years with The Piano Man! How does it feel to reach this milestone?
10 years is amazing. When we started out, there was so much uncertainty about the sustainability of our ideas and plans in the long run, and hitting 10 is a validation of what we started out to do!
2. When you first started out, did you ever imagine it would become such a long and successful journey?
We started out with the intent of making it a long and successful journey, and we continue to work hard towards that goal. There is still a long way to go, and we're gearing up for the next decade.
3. Which has been the most memorable night for you at The Piano Man?
This is always a really hard question. It's very difficult to pinpoint 1 out of 12000 concerts, but Chick Corea's solo piano show at TPM Safdarjung is one of the best!
4. How would you describe the evolution of The Piano Man from where it began a decade ago to where it stands today?
We started with the intent of building a community for jazz. Our intent has evolved over the last decade to make going out for live music a lifestyle choice in India, which is the only way to make the small gig ecosystem sustainable for the artists.
5. You’ve beautifully blended two passions — music and food. How do you strike that balance? Does one take precedence at times?
The balance between them is always tricky and often governed by intent... The real battle is between art and commerce; they are intrinsically linked. Art is inviable without commerce, and commerce is lifeless without art, but they are locked in a perpetual battle.
6. And finally, what’s next on the horizon for you and The Piano Man?
We are planning our next step over 3 steps of 3 years each in the next decade. Hopefully, the first step will see us enter new cities with our signature approach to venue design and calendar planning.
