UNMUTE The Fest 2026: Bhavan’s MSEED and SBC³ Brought Two Days of Honest Conversations, Music, Creativity and Mental Health Awareness to Mumbai
· Free Press Journal
What happened when young people were given a space where they could speak openly—without judgement, labels or the pressure to have all the answers?That question was at the heart of UNMUTE The Fest 2026, a two-day youth-focused mental health and self-expression festival presented by Bhavan’s College MSEED (Management School of Events & Experience Design) in collaboration with SBC³ (Centre for Social and Behaviour Change Communication).
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Held on Friday, October 9 and Saturday, October 10, 2026, at the Bhavan’s MSEED campus in Andheri, Mumbai, the festival brought together students, educators, mental health practitioners, artists, performers and industry voices for two days of conversations, workshops, music, comedy, experiential activities and community engagement.
UNMUTE was built around a simple idea: young people deserved a safe space to speak up without being judged.
The festival moved beyond traditional mental health awareness formats and created an environment where difficult conversations coexisted with music, humour, creativity and play.
The official UNMUTE platform described the initiative as part of MYND VIBEZ, a youth mental health awareness programme of SBC³ comprising awareness sessions and activities, the UNMUTE FESTIVAL and a Youth Circle of Giving—creating a continuum from awareness and understanding to participation and community action.
Two Days. Multiple Perspectives. One Unfiltered Conversation.
The two-day programme featured a diverse line-up addressing the realities young people faced today.
Day 1 – Friday, October 9 opened with an inaugural ceremony and keynote by Harish Shetty, followed by sessions including:
“Your 20s Are Not a Deadline” – Harish Shetty
“If Gen Z Knows More About Mental Health, Why Are We Still Struggling?” – a panel exploring the gap between awareness and actual mental health support
“Laughter Club” – stand-up comedy by Rishi Roy
“Events & Mental Health” – a conversation examining wellbeing within the high-pressure events industry
“Decoding Relationships” – workshop by Dr. Sagar Mundada
“Beyond the Binary: Navigating Mental Health, Identity & Belonging”
Unplugged performances by Araham Khan and Shantanu Bhattacharya
“Student vs System” – a debate examining whether schools and colleges genuinely addressed mental health while also contributing to student anxiety.
Alongside the main stage, participants experienced Expressive Arts, Sound Healing, Energy Healing, VR experiences, games, a speaker lounge and counselling sessions.
Day 2 – Saturday, October 10 continued the conversation with:
“Your Emotions Are Not Your Enemy” – interactive keynote by Janki Ravani
“Vulnerability Went Viral. What Changed?” – exploring Gen Z’s changing relationship with mental healthcare
“Humancare vs AI” – examining what happened when technology and human care were put to the test
Student Open Mic
“Boundaries vs Being a Team Player” – exploring the ability to say no while maintaining relationships
“The Playlist Effect: Your Nervous System Needs a Playlist”
An In Conversation with R.S. Prasanna
Unplugged performances by Sharon Prabhakar and Govandi Rappers
A closing ceremony followed by a live band session with Sukoon
Day 2 also featured movement therapy, embodied presence, pranic healing and body-image conversations, alongside the festival’s immersive zones.
A Festival Designed Around Participation
Rather than positioning audiences as passive spectators, UNMUTE encouraged participants to actively engage with the festival.
The campus itself became part of the experience, with different spaces dedicated to conversations, healing, play, music and reflection.
Experiences included Unleash – a VR Rage Room & Games zone; Unbound – a mela-style experience; a Speaker Lounge; and Emo Check – counselling sessions.
This experiential approach aligned with MSEED’s larger educational philosophy of taking learning beyond traditional classrooms and giving young people opportunities to experience, create and lead. MSEED describes itself as an industry-connected institution focused on events, entertainment, communication and experience design.
Dr. Jateen Rajput, Dean, Bhavan’s College MSEED, said:
“UNMUTE was born from a very simple observation: young people are constantly being told to speak about mental health, but very few spaces actually make them feel safe enough to do so. We wanted to create an experience where a student could walk in without having to pretend that everything was fine. They could listen, question, laugh, disagree, create, perform or simply sit and be present.
For MSEED, this was also an extension of how we believe education should work. Students learn best when they are given real experiences and real responsibility. UNMUTE was therefore not just an event that students attended—it was an experience they helped create. Our hope was that every young person who walked through our campus left knowing that their voice mattered and that asking for help was not a weakness.”
Priya Arte, Partner, SBC³, said:
“Mental health awareness cannot stop at a conversation or a single workshop. Young people need opportunities to understand themselves, build emotional resilience and, most importantly, know that they are not alone. That requires creating environments where conversations around stress, anxiety, identity, relationships and vulnerability feel normal rather than uncomfortable.
UNMUTE was our attempt to create that environment. Through SBC³’s work with young people over the years, we have seen that when adolescents and young adults are given the right tools and a safe environment, they are remarkably capable of understanding themselves and supporting one another. UNMUTE brought that philosophy to life through conversations, creativity, music, movement, healing and community. We wanted young people to leave not just informed, but empowered.”
SBC³ has worked extensively in youth and adolescent mental health awareness, including its ENERGETIX programme, which uses experiential approaches to help young people build emotional intelligence, cope with challenges and develop healthier ways of responding to stress.
From Awareness to Action
UNMUTE ultimately focused on changing the way young people—and the adults around them—approached mental health.
The festival recognised that mental health conversations could not be separated from the realities of contemporary youth culture, including academic and career pressure, relationships, identity, social media, body image, loneliness, technology, peer expectations and the pressure to constantly appear successful.
By bringing together mental health, music, comedy, art, technology, education and live experiences, UNMUTE made these conversations more accessible, relatable and human.
The festival also reflected the growing need for educational institutions to take a more active role in student wellbeing. MSEED’s academic philosophy emphasises experiential learning and industry exposure rather than limiting education to classroom-based theory.