Mirror Magazine

Mirror Magazine

A treasured duo
By Smriti Daniel
So they’re back at last and to our infinite relief they’re still larger then life, brimming over with that energy and easy creativity we know so well. They’re still the best entertainers in town, still the most delicious duo we’ve seen on stage, still the inimitable Bathiya’n’Santhush – the guys who took Sri Lankan music and sang it out loud and clear for the entire world to hear.

Riding high on the success of their fourth album ‘Neththara,’ Bathiya and Santhush have just returned from an exhausting (but triumphant) tour that included appearances at the Cannes Film Festival and the Sydney Opera House no less. Their music which has been their passport to success in the past still continues to delight listeners across the globe. In 2005 alone B&S played ‘Bathiya’n’Santhush Live’ more than 200 times, and after doing everything from an unplugged show to a fusion one, the boys are now ready for a concert with more attitude.

For your listening delight, they’re putting together a concert that will blow your mind. ‘Nethara Live’ which they’re now gearing up to take to the world, is already a smash hit, with the first show to be held at the BMICH on July 9 already sold out a month in advance.

B&S who will be pulling out all the stops on this one are preparing to recreate some of their music videos for the show. The result is a “different concert,” one that will showcase not just the amazing vocal acrobatics of B&S, but their dance moves as well. They’ve distilled the essence of Bollywood into the show along with a healthy helping of what they call “ethnic dancing,” a combination which is bound to end up in a wildly entertaining gig.

There’s still hope for those who can’t make the first show – the band has many others planned. On July 30 they will be kicking up a storm in Negombo; they’re also set to offer Colombo audiences a repeat performance on August 16, again at the BMICH. Later in the same month, they are planning on serving up an unexpected treat – ‘Neththara Unplugged.’ In honour of this event they are going to abandon their snazzy new dance moves and replace them with a 20-strong orchestra.

‘Neththara,’ which “has some very strong productions” according to Santhush, is an album that “is packed with colour and stories.” This vibrant set of songs is the most recent of their creations. Talking about the songs in the collection, Santhush expresses the belief that “they will stay with people for a long time,” especially because they invested a lot of time and energy into getting the sound just right.

Looking back they can see how their music has gradually evolved, however they’ve always walked the tightrope, trying to balance their Sri Lankan leanings with the demands of being international stars. Not wanting to lose their local fan base, the boys have settled into a rhythm that serves them best, by keeping “the standard of production to an international level, but our sound more ethnic.”

B&S have undergone something of an image change, they moved from being the happy simple dudes next door, to looking a bit tougher, a little more intense and hip. “We’re keeping the essence of what B&S is,” says Bathiya, adding that they have changed slowly over a period of time, giving all concerned the chance to adjust. They need not have worried, for their fans have embraced their new image with enthusiasm.

So much so that they have been touring non-stop for what feels like years now. They’re always on the run and yet instead of being exhausted, they seem to revel in it. They’re obviously more than up to the challenge, but you’re probably wondering how they even manage to fit in a “personal life” into this busy schedule. The answer is rather simple, they don’t.

“We don’t even talk to each other about anything anymore,” Santhush says laughing. “All we talk about are rehearsals and shows,” adds Bathiya. Left to themselves, all they want is a day at home with their friends and absolutely no sign of a telephone.

Obviously we’re missing something here, right? What happened to all the glamour, wealth and adulation that comes along with stardom? Bathiya and Santhush assure me that the glamour is an illusion and looking at them now (they both have the flu), I can easily believe it. The wealth however, is there in abundance, and it’s helped the guys get something they really wanted – their own recording studio. As for the adulation, they simply revel in it, but that’s not why they’re in the business, they’re in it for their music, it’s what keeps them going. “Towards the end of show, you’re so tired. If it weren’t for the music, you’d fall,” says Santhush.

That they still have so many demands of their time is no mean feat considering that these guys have been in the business for seven years, yes you read me right… seven years! This December, when they’ll celebrate their anniversary, it will be marked by the release of a special DVD that will feature all the duo’s hit music videos. In the meantime… Bathiya and Santhush remain the Sri Lankan music industry’s principal treasure.

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