Khwaab: Rocking the dream boat with a sitari-ous twist

Punch, a Kolkata-based Indian rock group, released their debut single Khwaab with a video screening and an unplugged performance at a café in South Kolkata on December 29. The song, inspired by dreams and perseverance, features themes of hope and passion. The song takes you through a story of an aspiring dancer, played by renowned pottery artist Ishwari Basu, who lands in a big city to bag her dream dance gig. The music video, shot by Tathagata Sur and Swastika Kundu, and edited by Ayan Biswas, is a tribute to the 90’s pop-culture when bands would narrate stories through music videos.

Punch is the only rock band that uses a sitar among the active groups in the country. The band members include Ayan Mukherjee on sitar, flute, and electric guitar; Wriddh on vocals; Aritro Ghosh on electric, acoustic guitars and backing vocals; Tamal Bhattacharjee on bass, and Anindya Maity on drums.

Speaking about the song, Tamal, the bassist, said, "Khwaab came to our lives during a moment of quiet introspection. It is inspired by the dreams that keep us going even when times get tough. Khwaabon ke us paar hai naye naye khoj, naya hai shehar umeedein har roz is a reflection of hope, passion, and the pursuit of achieving something greater," he said.

To this, vocalist Wriddh added, "We are living in the time of all things in 90 seconds. In such a scenario, releasing a 9-minute song is always a challenge but this happened organically. Being a progressive rock band, we couldn't shorten the length, but people from the rock fraternity have been appreciating the idea," he said.

For guitarist Aritro, this journey is more about breaking away from stereotypes. “The song allowed me to explore my creative freedom where I didn't have to conform to typical structures or market-dictated categories. The entire process was a state of flow for quite a few months, and the best part of it was the ability to make this song with bandmates who have become just like family,” he added.
The event featured a stripped-down version of Khwaab by the band and an unreleased song called Azaadi, culminating with a Carnatic rock rendition of Thillana.

Besides Punch, artist Jagoree Karmakar sang Steelheart's She's Gone, and Hip Hop artiste Srujanika Das provided a glimpse of her original set with a couple of tracks.