Angaraag Mahanta, better known as Papon, is among the most iconic musicians to have emerged from Guwahati in recent times. Born into a well-known musical family, his father, the ‘King of Bihu’, Khagen Mahanta, and mother Archana Mahanta, a fellow folk singer, raised Papon in a rich musical atmosphere where he learned the famed folk music of the region, as well as various other forms of Indian classical music.

A seven-part documentary series,Hometown Heroes sees the Red Bull Tour Bus take Papon back to Northeast India, travelling through various cities in the region, meeting old friends and family and introducing fans to a side of his life that, although documented, remains largely unexplored from within.

Says Papon, “Looking back at my life – from growing up in Guwahati, moving to Delhi for college and then finally to Mumbai – it has been an extremely eventful and rewarding journey. I have been lucky to have seen and experienced some incredible things and met some amazing people along the way, all of which has only contributed towards making it richer. Retracing this journey with Hometown Heroes, revisiting these places and memories, was a beautiful and nostalgic experience and it’s a trip I’m grateful to have been able to make.”

Through tales retold and places revisited, each chapter of Hometown Heroes delves into a different aspect of Papon’s life – from his relationship with his father and the impact the legendary musician’s music and legacy had on him growing up, to the breath-taking landscapes of his hometown which affected him so deeply, to moving to Delhi and living as a student, to his larger outlook on life and religion, and finally, to finding his feet and making it big as a musician.

Through old friends and school teachers, and family and fellow musicians, Hometown Heroes recounts the tales of a journey so rich and a figure so colourful, with little-known anecdotes and stories worth their weight in gold.

From spending his childhood listening to music in makeshift treehouses or climbing hills and picking up scraped knees in the bargain, to persisting, enduring and building a career and name for himself in the industry, the series is a look at the experiences, the decisions, the moments and the people that have shaped the life of one of India’s favourite musicians.

Watch the trailer for Hometown Heroes here: www.redbull.in/hometownheroes

Hometown Heroes will be released on 4^th August.