Prog rock to Kannada film music, the versatile brothers of Bengaluru

After over 15 years of pursuing their musical careers individually, brothers Judah and Jared Sandhy decided to join forces about eight months ago when Jared returned to the city.

While Jared lived in the US working closely with the likes of Rusty Cooley, the world’s fastest guitarist, Judah followed where opportunities took him right here in the city. A large number of those opportunities came from the Kannada film industry — he has worked on the music of over 25 films in the last 10 years.

In the late 2000s, a Bengaluru-based progressive rock band, Slain, was making waves across the country. Over the years the members went their separate ways, but earlier this month they reunited for a special gig — opening for American rock legends Mr Big at their Bengaluru show.

For Slain’s vocalist Judah, and drummer Jared, the reunion was ‘nostalgic’ and ‘magical’. The duo’s new outfit, Jared and Judah, is a mix of pop, rock, post modern metal and indie — at least that’s what the album they are working on indicates. It is expected to drop within the next two months.

“This is our debut album as a duo. It’s a cross-genre album. I believe that Bengalureans have a diverse palate when it comes to music. For instance, I enjoy Ilaiyaraaja as much as Dream Theatre,” says Jared.

That they are influenced by a vast variety of artistes, such as Dream Theatre, Bon Jovi, Toto and White Snake, apart from church
and gospel music by the likes of Don Moen, is quite evident in the music they play.

Music was always at the forefront of the brothers’ lives. Their father, Simon Augustin Sandhy, is a violinist, and has played for the likes of Hamsalekha and Gurukiran. He also runs the Bangalore String Ensemble, one of the city’s oldest orchestras.

Growing up, the brothers learnt music from the church run by their grandfather, Robert Sandhy. “We would use the space, whenever it was free, for our jam sessions. Our grandfather would sometimes watch us. He never understood metal. He grew up listening to Jim Reeves. But he was always supportive, which gave us a strong foundation,” Judah shares.

Working on film music is a different challenge, but the duo enjoy the process. For 2025, they have been signed on to 10 Kannada films, such as ‘Gatta Vaibhava’, ‘Ranga Sthala’, ‘Simple Suni’ and ‘Devaru Ruju Madidhanu’. But is it restrictive to work on film music?

“Yes it can be but it is equally satisfying. Filmmakers are looking for music directors who can bring something fresh to the table. Versatility and quality are key,” explains Judah, signing off.