Mahra Tora

Gurgaon, Haryana, India. Photo Credit: Tarun4u

Believe is once again expanding in India – this time with a new imprint called Mahra Tora, which will work towards “fostering the growing Haryanvi music scene.”

Paris-headquartered Believe formally announced the launch of Mahra Tora today. Translating to “my swag,” the label was first disclosed on social media about three weeks back.

Meanwhile, north of 25 million live in the Indian state of Haryana, which is said to boast a quick-growing music space. (If local reports are any indication, this growth has been accompanied by a bit of government scrutiny concerning certain songs’ lyrics and themes.)

Now, Believe says Mahra Tora intends to make a regional splash while simultaneously helping talent find new fans in different markets. Regarding the latter, Believe India MD Vivek Raina pointed to Haryanvi music’s perceived commercial opportunities “with audiences beyond its regional roots.”

“Haryanvi music has seen a meteoric rise in popularity,” Raina said, “resonating with audiences beyond its regional roots. With ‘Mahra Tora,’ we aim to provide a strong platform for Haryanvi artists, ensuring they have the right tools to reach wider audiences and build sustainable careers.”

On the artist front, Mahra Tora – billed as “a bold voice of Haryanvi youth that creates trends, not follows them” – is looking to “work with some of Haryana’s most promising and established” acts. That includes eight initial signings: Kabira, Ajay Bhagta, Kaka WRLD, GP Ji, Hashtag Pandit, Amit Saini Rohtakiya, Amit Dhull, and Renuka Panwar.

“The energy and authenticity of Haryanvi music is unparalleled,” added Believe India artist-services head Shilpa Sharda. “‘Mahra Tora’ is our way of investing in this vibrant scene, empowering artists with the best-in-class support to scale new heights in the industry.”

Of course, Believe is hardly alone in making investments in India, where it acquired White Hill Music’s catalog last year. May 2025 saw Reservoir kick off an expansion by purchasing Musicraft Entertainment; that play marked the company’s first catalog deal in the country. And earlier in June, Sony Music and The Hello Group rolled out THG India.

Bigger picture, an ongoing paid-listening pivot has brought some growing pains in India – among them a reported 11% digital revenue slip during 2024. Nevertheless, there’s evidently a long-term incentive to build out in the nation of 1.4 billion, with the more immediate international-streaming upside also worth keeping in mind.