Brothers Sumit and Anuj speak to us from Kurukshetra, Haryana, where they have recently acquired an independently rented home. The duo do not disclose their surname, and request to be known together only by their alias ‘Banjaare’. They have held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard India songs chart for over twelve weeks, for their song “Bairan”.
“We are two feet above the ground,” the siblings tell Billboard India over a video call. Flute parts, strummy guitar and a syncopated beat, drive the song to pleasant musicality. However it’s been the use of a refreshing dialect of Haryanvi that is not the usual ‘thet’ (raw and unadulterated) version that’s caught people by surprise and garnered a larger appeal. The lyrics are fairly more accessible than other regional languages, as Sumit sings full-bodied about ‘judai’ (separation) and heartbreak.
The brothers themselves have been influenced by a plethora of the Indian sonic palette. Apart from film music, the duo listens to Himachali, Tamil and Rajasthani folk as well as Punjabi icons like Gurdas Maan, Diljit Dosanjh and Satinder Sartaaj. However, one of their most profound influences has been the Rajasthani modern folk performer Rahgir, whose books they have also read. The younger brother Anuj is also a huge electronic and dance music fan, listening to the likes of dubstep pioneer Skrillex and young gun Fred again…
Anuj, 24, is the voice behind “Bairan,” while the siblings maintain that they sing and compose equally for most projects. Anuj learnt music production on his own from YouTube, while he also plays the harmonium and guitar. Sumit and Anuj have written lyrics and produced together for all their singles so far. While they didn’t come from a musical family, they say they have been doing “time pass” with music which seems to have finally made them arrive onto the music landscape and be noticed by the industry: “Bas kar rahen hain hum time pass – karte karte pahunch gaye.” They are very grateful for their newfound success, as they candidly share that their earlier tracks were not working. “No one was listening before,” says Sumit, 28.
The viral track was eventually acquired and distributed by Sony Music, as it tells the story of a boy’s point of view in love. Their next song, which will be released soon, takes the narrative forward and will be from a “girl’s side of the story,” as they have more singles lined up for the rest of the year. The duo says they don’t believe in being signed for now, as they wait for the right time and need to get that label push, Sumit likens it to using gunpowder for starting a fire: “Jab barood ki jarurat padegi aag jalane ke liye.” They are, however, partnering with Sony Music for licensing their upcoming releases over the next one year.
Unlike I-pop whose inspirations lean towards pop and Bollywood, Banjaare aspire to be folk storytellers. They say they’re not fans of artists, but of art. “Bairan” borrows from the tragedy-laced epic Punjabi romances such as Heer Ranjha and Sassi Punnu. The Bhiwani-born brothers promise to redefine and be inspired by folklore. “You’ll get to hear stories and good songs soon,” is their message for fans.
