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Together they rock!

Still charged, still rocking, three years after its creation, Aasma band continues to sparkle, finds Nandini Nair

PHOTO: S. SUBRAMANIUM

ALL FOR ONE The band members of Aasma in New Delhi

They might appear 40 minutes late but they wear their celebrity status lightly. Channel V created Aasma, but Neeti, Vasudha, Jimmy and Sangeet have sustained it. The band members, who were in the Capital recently for a Synergy Loyalty Programme held at Shangri La hotel, insist on make-up and jackets, after lunch, and before appearing publicly.

Having studied in Delhi University, band members Neeti Mohan and Vasudha Sharma call it "our Delhi," and say they love being here.

They pose for cameras with a disarming enthusiasm. When their manager yells, "Give me action!" they respond with exaggerated pouts, opened shirt buttons and long-live-rock-and-roll gestures. After the photo-shoot, they eagerly crowd around the camera to see their actions in images.

The camaraderie

Even after a short interaction, their cheer and merriment show their camaraderie. Sangeet Haldipur, wearing a black jacket, says, "It has been a progressive gelling." With model looks and exposed chest, Jimmy Felix quips, "We are still learning about each other." Vasudha, in pink interrupts, "We love being together." In rapid fire Neeti adds, "We have a great chemistry." Jimmy with an underhand smile professes, "All four of us are literally mad." Vasu elaborates, "Pre-show and post-show we are mad."

They are unfazed by the crash and burn of the previous Channel V discovery, VIVA. They take success in their stride and feel they will survive with the right priorities. They know that comparisons are unavoidable but feel that they have the passion to hold together against the odds.

Considering the absence of airs and conceit, Sangeet's comment, "Even after three years it hasn't sunk in," seems believable. The band is quick to attribute their existence to Channel V. He asserts, "They are like our parents. They have created us, raised us and now have let us go." "From 1000 to 100 to 25 to eight and then four," says Neeti, with earrings jangling, describing the selection process of Channel V.

At first, she recounts, a kilometre long queue of 3000 aspirants in Delhi deterred her. But the next morning she queued up for the auditions at 5 a.m. Jimmy, who travelled from Jaipur for the audition, had to sleep in his car when he came down to the Capital. Of Aasma he says simply, "It has changed my life." "But in Jaipur he was already a star," Vasu quickly adds, giving him his due. "He had a band. Only now his reach has increased."

The strengths

Discussing what worked in their favour over thousands of other candidates, they say that Channel V was looking for people with musical talent and onstage élan. Jimmy suggests, "They were looking for performers, not just singers."

They laugh riotously and mock each other in good humour. They insist that politically incorrect jokes not be quoted. They are quick to mention their strengths.

"We are four differently talented people," says Sangeet. Jimmy lays out their individual talents. "Sangeet is great at Jazz. Neeti can do both classical and Western. While Vasu can sing Alanis or a bhajan equally well."

Together, however, their USP, Neeti says, is, "We are not onstage celebrities. It is not a celebration for just the crowd, it is a celebration for us too." Sangeet, always the one for a quick byte, laughs, "To love the crowd you have to be the crowd." Their biggest challenge, interestingly, is corporate gigs; the biggest achievement is to get the businessman on the floor.

For this under-25 band, Aasma stands for "youth, energy and warmth." While they have sung for Shamir Tandon (music director of Page 3 and Corporate) and for a forthcoming movie Mirror, their ardent wish is to work with their favourite, A.R. Rahman.

"Let us sing!" they scream out to him and hope he hears.

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