The sweet songs of togetherness

Club culture

Singing has been a part of many people’s lives, be it singing in the bathroom or on the stage. Encouraging this passion, late actor Vishnuvardhan and his close friend Janak Madaan formed ‘Snehaloka Karaoke Club’ around seven years back, which has more than 40 members in its fold presently.

The club boasts of members right from teenagers to the elderly. The club’s meetings, which are held on every second Saturday of the month, also see the presence of actor Bharathi Vishnuvardhan. About the club, Janak Madaan says, “We make it a point to meet regularly as we want to keep Vishnuvardhan’s vision alive. Our meetings often have different themes. For instance, last month we had the 60s and 90s theme, where we met and sang songs from those eras. We were also dressed accordingly.”

Janak vouches that this karaoke club is the only club in the country which has been around for so many years. “We might be the only club which has been functioning and meeting regularly since its inception,” says Janak.

Vijay Kumar, a consultant and a regular member, has been around since the inception of the club. “The club has been a gracious addition to my life. Since the days of Vishnuvardhan ji, who was a great fan and singer of Rafi’s songs, I connected to him and the club easily. He wanted to create a platform where amateur singers could come out and make a public appearance,” says Vijay.

He adds that the group includes people from all walks of life. “The group helped me to nurture my own singing skills. Singing is a great stressbuster and the group has helped me grow into a better person too,” adds Vijay.

The club has opened up a forum for many singers. The club’s youngest member, Sanketh Prakash, a 10th standard student, says that he owes his confident personality to the club. “I’ve lost my stage fear and the journey with the club has been a learning experience. I was a very shy person and I have made many friends here. The diverse age groups of the members have helped add to the different experiences,” expresses Sanketh.

For Mahua Kumar, an interior designer, the group is a fun platform where she saw her husband change. “It is a beautiful space where I saw Anil transform and become more confident. The group also led to a great bonding among people from varied industries, who shared their personal and professional experiences as well,” she says.

For others like Prithvi Raj, a final-year engineering student who has performed with artistes like KK, AR Rahman, Arijit Singh and Sunidhi Chauhan, the club proved to be a great training ground. “The club has a floating crowd, thus meeting new people and performing with them has been an integral part of my life since the last seven years. I recollect when I joined the club how I was awarded the ‘Best singer award’ here. This encouragement by Vishnuvardhan sir itself pushed me to take up music more seriously,” narrates Prithvi. He adds that now whenever he wants to perform a new song, the club is his favourite trial ground as he trusts the feedback of the people here.

For many like Vidya Venkat, a special educator with an NGO, being a part of the club has added colour to her schedule. “Most people wait for festivals, but with the club, it is festivities throughout the year. The camaraderie has led to many special moments in my life,” says Vidya. She adds that the club is like her second home. “I’ve been a part of the club for four-and-a-half years and I try my best to not miss any meetings. They have made me more confident and helped me grow a lot,” adds Vidya.

(The club can be reached at 9980517575)