MUMBAI: Indian pop rock band SANAM, which made a grand entry in the world of music in 2009, has come a long way. Popular as India’s One Direction, the band has been going strong and the bond between its members is responsible for their successful inning. Sanam Puri, Samar Puri, Keshav Dhanraj and Venky S aka Venkat Subramaniyam are very good friends and their friendship has become stronger with time irrespective of creative differences. In an exclusive interview, the team reveals the secret behind their strong connection.
“We were friends before becoming a band of musicians and it’s our friendship that keeps us together. It is important for us to be happy and enjoy what we are doing rather than working to prove anything or to a point that we tire ourselves and lose the essence of enjoying music making. We, therefore, cherish and value this journey with the four of us together, always having each other’s backs and supporting each other through thick and thin. The moment there is anyone struggling in any area of life, the other three are there to support and pep him up and that’s precious, says drums and lead music arranger Keshav Dhanraj.
The lead guitarist, lyricist and composer of the clan, Samar Puri reveals the secret behind their Yaariyan, “All of us are seeking happiness in everything we do and the four of us believe in the same objectives of making good music. As friends, we also look forward to enjoy life to its fullest as we experience different approaches, different countries and cultures and find opportunities to spread love and happiness. So this I believe is the secret that drives all that we do.”
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The stylish charmer of the band, lead vocalist Sanam Puri shares that their team is mature enough to handle minor creative tips.
He explains, “With four different minds working on a project, there are bound to be differences in opinions and tastes. It’s not about being right or wrong, but about coming up with and voicing new ideas. So, there is always space to learn from each other and grow. We don’t have fights, but we do have minor arguments sometimes and we are mature enough to understand each other and let things go. All of us have a common end goal, which is to make good music. Hence, it’s never about egos or proving whose idea is better because ultimately it’s all about what the song demands, which is the singular focus that helps in decision making.
SANAM band’s gigs are also quite popular just like their songs. The four of them, performing together, reminds us of the One Direction ‘Foursome’. Bass guitarist Venky S shares their pre-performance mantra.
“Each one of us has different pre-gig patterns. Sanam likes to be by himself and relax before the gig, while I like to practice so I am pumped. Samar is a foodie with high metabolic rate and likes to eat to get his energy boost. Keshav, on the other hand, goes through the order of the songs to get mentally prepared since he is the one who triggers the tracks and metronome. Collectively, we huddle before every gig and share positive energy among the four of us and rest of our entourage because it’s very important to be in a happy zone when on stage as it really translates in our performance. The core mantra is to stay relaxed, energized and brimming with happy energy,” Venky reveals.
SANAM band mates Yaariyan is indeed worth taking note off. The band also celebrated their friendship by releasing the single, Apni Yaari on the occasion of Friendship Day this year.
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Lastly, the fifth member of the band, Ben Kurian Thomas, who is their business manager, shares details of the upcoming projects of SANAM Band.
He says, “We toured South Africa, earlier and did not expect such a massive attendance and an exhilarated response. We also have some releases planned.”
Meanwhile, SANAM band performed their first ever live concert in Hyderabad on 7 September 2019.
