I&B Ministry’s Republic Day Tableau: Sanjay Leela Bhansali conceptualizes, Shreya Ghoshal sings ‘Bharat Gatha’

On Monday, at the Republic Day 2026 parade, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B Ministry) brought together two of India’s most celebrated creative voices — filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali and singer Shreya Ghoshal — for its Republic Day tableau celebrating Indian cinema and storytelling.

For the I&B Ministry’s Republic Day Parade tableau, Bhansali conceptualized the theme ‘Bharat Gatha’, marking a historic milestone as it was for the first time that an Indian film director represented Indian cinema at the nation’s most prestigious ceremonial event and conceptualised a Ministry tableau. As part of bringing this vision to life, Bhansali roped in Shreya Ghoshal to render a specially composed song that played alongside the tableau as it moved down Kartavya Path on January 26.

Rooted in the spirit of Bharat Gatha, the I&B Ministry’s tableau celebrated India’s timeless tradition of storytelling — where music, visuals, performance, and cinema come together as cultural expressions passed down through generations. Indian cinema, as one of the country’s most powerful modern storytelling mediums, found a natural and significant place within this larger narrative.

A source close to the development shared, “Shreya Ghoshal rendered a specially composed song for Bharat Gatha, the Republic Day tableau conceptualised by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Music has always been integral to Bhansali’s storytelling, and whenever he and Shreya come together, the result carries a rare emotional depth. Their collaboration has consistently created moments that stay with audiences, and this time, that musical magic unfolded on Kartavya Path, becoming a part of the Republic Day Parade itself.”

The collaboration reflects the I&B Ministry’s vision of presenting Indian cinema not merely as entertainment, but as an extension of India’s civilisational storytelling legacy — a cultural force that continues to represent the country on a global stage.

With Bhansali’s cinematic sensibility guiding the narrative and Shreya Ghoshal’s voice lending it soul, the I&B Ministry’s Republic Day tableau under Bharat Gatha promises to be a moving tribute to Indian storytelling — where history, culture, and cinema converge.