Hyderabad’s Windmills Craftworks Is Betting on Live Jazz in a City of Superclubs

Windmills Craftworks exudes a certain rareness in their experiences. You can find them in Bengaluru in Whitefield and at the city’s airport in Terminal 1, and then, in the tech hub of Grandscape near Dallas, Texas, in the U.S.

Now, the “jazz theatre” that combines music, craft beer, and global cuisine with plenty of architectural and design flourishes has set up in Hyderabad’s Knowledge City in Gachibowli. Opening its doors in late January 2026, the new venue in a new city is a chance to do things differently for architect and music enthusiast Kamal Sagar, the founder of Windmills Craftworks.  

“The decision grew more from observation than from analysis alone. Hyderabad has a long relationship with patronage, craft, and music, and that sensibility still feels present beneath the pace of the city today,” Sagar tells Rolling Stone India.

In a city that’s cranking up the volume with superclubs and electronic music, Windmills Craftworks positions itself as a rare space for jazz, blues, global music and fusion in a setting that also boasts over 7,000 books and their well-lauded beer (which is yet to be served, contingent on when their liquor license comes in).

Nevertheless, Gypsy jazz act Stéphane Wrembel Trio were on stage to deliver an entertaining and journeying set of tunes inspired by the likes of Django Reinhardt, while also dipping into the bandleader’s famous tracks for Woody Allen films like Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Midnight In Paris. There was even a point where Wrembel performed a Reinhardt song called “Anouman,” explaining to the full-house audience of Hyderabadis that this was inspired by Hanuman, son of the god of the wind, and how gypsies — whose origin can also be traced back to India — also considered themselves “children of the wind.”

These are the kind of stories you’re more likely to hear in a setting like Windmills Craftworks, which feels large, but also intimate. “When music is presented without unnecessary noise around it, and sound is treated with care, listeners naturally begin to lean in. That responsiveness feels very present in Hyderabad,” Sagar says.

The founder says their conversations with musicians, listeners, and collaborators led them to understand there was a “quiet appetite for spaces that invite attention rather than distraction” in Hyderabad. He hopes that people arrive with an open mind. Jazz and blues haven’t exactly had a proven track record in Hyderabad, with venues like EXT and Heart Cup Coffee struggling to sustain the scene. For long, Giggle Water in Jubilee Hills has been one of the only homes for the genres. In the event that live jazz doesn’t immediately catch on with the audience, Windmills Craftworks is also leaning into the growing “third space” culture.

plans to rely on its vast collection of books, which range from bestsellers to literary classics, travel guides, and autobiographies of public figures and musicians.

If live jazz doesn’t immediately find its footing, Windmills Craftworks is leaning into the growing “third space” trend — positioning itself as more than just a music venue. Alongside the stage, it houses a vast collection of books spanning bestsellers, literary classics, travel guides and autobiographies of public figures and musicians

Sagar adds, however, “Music has never been treated as an add‑on or a commercial lever. It’s supported by design, acoustics, thoughtful programming, and a long‑term view rather than short‑term success.”

While the stage size, the intentional placement of books on shelves behind the performance area and the sublime sound system all bear a signature Windmills touch carried forward from the Bengaluru outlet, Sagar says they’re thinking less about “duplication” and more about “translation.” He adds, “The pillars remain the same, but each city shapes its own expression.”

As Wrembel and his trio elated audiences three nights in a row on the opening weekend, it was clear that Windmills Craftworks was in Hyderabad to start their own movement, much like they did (and continue to do) in Bengaluru. Following sets by international artists like saxophonist-composer Tineke Postma and Violetta Parisini in February, upcoming artists programmed to perform in Hyderabad include Indo-American guitar ace Prasanna, with his Ragabop set featuring bassist Nisham Pul and drummer Shyam Rao on Feb. 20 and 21, 2026.

Next week, New York blues act Hazmat Modine will fly in for shows on Feb. 27 and 28, 2026, while Kolkata-origin The Arinjoy Trio will add more blues energy on Mar. 6 and 7, 2026 and Rajasthani group Barmer Boys plan to stop by on Mar. 13 and 14, 2026.

Hazmat Modine are also performing at the Windmills Craftworks in Bengaluru, which means that the venues are looking at creating a touring circuit of sorts. “It does open up possibilities, but it also brings responsibility,” Sagar says. Going by the welcoming and comfortable atmosphere they’ve created twice over now in India, it’s a responsibility they’ll likely ace.