Though he trained in Indian classical music, and even played with his college band in 2012, he had no inkling of turning his dream into his career. And so, Anand Bhaskar, who shifted base from Delhi to Mumbai in 2005, worked in the ad industry for a decade before he realised that music was his true calling. In October 2014, he started recording his album, and soon, his band fell into place. Slated to perform at an Andheri venue this Friday, alternative rock outfit Anand Bhaskar Collective balances its heavy sound with melodic Hindi lyrics that talk about politics, love and tragedies.

Bhaskar recalls how he had lost touch with music till he met his wife Nidhi Sethia who suggested that he record his original compositions. "I told her I didn't have band, and she advised me to get started. The band will follow," he shares. And it did, as he joined forces with his childhood friend Neel on the bass, Shishir Tao on drums and percussion, Shravan Sridhar on violin and Hrishi Giridhar on guitar. But they will never call themselves a fusion band. "The term has been bastardised in this country by tagging everything with a guitar and an Indian instrument as fusion. Raghu Dixit is folk, Indian Ocean is fusion, Parvaaz is psychedelic rock and Local Train is pop rock. We are an alternative act that cuts through all ages with our melodies," says Bhaskar.