All its cards are not on the table yet. But the Indian Performing Rights Society (IPRS) has twisted the arm of independent musicians who, after the pandemic, are already on their knees. The organisation will charge '20,000 as royalties for non-sponsored streaming performances and '60,000 for those with funding, according to an announcement it has made. That's tough, given the times, and especially so for an act gearing up for its debut digital gig, like folk-rock band Fakira is. They mainly play Lalongeeti and Baul songs, both of which are indigenous forms of music from rural Bengal. It's important to note that when addressing royalties.

Edited excerpts from an interview with Avirup Das aka Bunty, Fakira's drummer.