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2Blue | Singer, Mostly

@2bluehimself

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I moved to Mumbai with a dream, quit my job at 40, and sang to 200K+ in India, Thailand, and the UAE by 50. Thank you for believing in rock n’ roll.

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Every day, countless dreamers come to Mumbai. In 1997, I was one of them. But everything I knew about the city seemed to be a lie when the PA at the station crackled:

“Churchgate ke liye jalad local platform #2 par aa rahi hai.”

I swear to God I had never been pushed that hard in my life before. And just like that I found my face in someone's armpit. I was 22—a fresh engineering graduate from NIT Agartala—and by the time the train crossed Andheri, my shirt, my tie, my certificates, my hardcopy resume, and my dreams were crushed beyond repair. And by the time the train crossed Bandra, I fainted. But here’s the thing about Mumbai: Our local trains don’t let us fall. They are just that crowded. So I stayed afloat in a pool of sweaty bodies. Then I heard a sweet motherly voice say:

"Tension mat le. Sabh theek ho jayega. Tu baith idhar."

I was given a window-seat, a modak, and I was told:

"Tera sugar level kam ho gaya hai. Tension mat le. Yeh Ganpati ka prasad hai. Sab theek ho jayega."

At this point, the train stopped at Mumbai Central. I gathered what was left of my dignity and I looked up. But I couldn't tell who the woman was. There were just too many people. But She stayed on my mind even when I reached Churchgate for my job interview later. I didn’t get that job. But I knew I'd be alright. Because I could still hear her say:

"Tension mat le. Sabh theek ho jayega."

Now I've been living in Mumbai for more than 25 years. I still hear that voice from time to time. You see, that woman was the reason I didn’t fall. I was 22 then. I'm 48 now. In some ways, She is the reason I’m still standing. This is what She has done for me and countless others like me.
Mumbai... Bombay... call Her what you like. She is the one who makes dreams come true. And She hasn't brought us this far to leave us now.

#ThankYou #Mumbai #WeLoveMumbai #ILoveMumbai #MumbaiMeriJaan #MumbaiCity #Bombay #MeMumbaikar #WeAreMumbaikars #MumbaiSingers #MumbaiGig #MumbaiConcert #MumbaiDreams #MumbaiNightlife #NightlifeMumbai #MumbaiDiaries #MumbaiBlogger #Mumbai_IGers #MumbaiLiveMusic #MumbaiMusic #MumbaiMusicians taken in Willingdon Catholic Gymkhana by @2bluehimself

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3 years ago

She was a celebration of womanhood. Beautiful, fiery, and sharp-tongued, she was a leap in feminine evolution. She showed us the many ways a woman needs a man. She was Draupadi, the wife of Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva.

#JayaTheMusical is coming to #BalGandharvaRangMandir (@BGRangMandir) this February. Join the celebration. Bring a woman you love.

#Draupadi #HusbandAndWife #ManAndWoman #IndianCouple #MumbaiTheatre #MumbaiTheatreGuide #MumbaiTheatreCircuit #MumbaiSingers #MumbaiActors #MumbaiDancers #Things2DoInMumbai #BandraBuzz #Halestorm #LilleteDubey #TirthankarPoddar #2BlueHimself

📷: @NatashaHemrajani

www.2BlueHimself.com taken in Balgandharva Ranga Mandir Bandra by @2bluehimself

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3 years ago

Boil a litre of water. Dissolve 500 grams of salt in it. Let it cool. If you don't taste it, it will appear just like regular water. But if you drop a single grain of salt in it, the separated salt molecules will rush to it and cohere into a giant mass. The water with the salt invisibly dissolved in it is called a super saturated solution. From time to time, we are all molecules invisibly separated in a super saturated solution searching for a reason to come together as one.

Between Oct 19, 2024 and Jan 25, 2025, the people of several Indian cities had found that reason. These were the culturally conscious intellectuals of Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, New Delhi, Chandigarh, and Pune. They are the ones who were raised on musical theater, performing arts, and rock n' roll. And tidal waved by nostalgia, they came together as a whole that's bigger than the sum of its parts. The man who caused this commotion? The CEO who brought these people together like a grain of salt in a super saturated solution? @Nitin.Chhabra1 from @LeeJeansIndia.

That's us at @HardRockCafePune at the end of our India Tour on Sat, Jan 25. It's strange how quickly you can go from the buzz of a concert to the stillness of the aftermath. Please don't ever forget how important you are to us. You are the reason we do what we do. In the super saturated solution of invisibly separated molecules, you are the reason we come together as one.

#NitinChhabra #LeeJeansIndia #HardRockCafeIndia #AmanoraMallPune #HardRockCafePune #AmanoraMall #HRCPune #AceTurtle #WeAreOne #OneIndia #IndianFlag #SafronWhiteGreen #indianflag🇮🇳 #UnitedWeStand #indianflag🇮🇳❤️ #UnitedWeStandDividedWeFall #RepublicDayIndia #republicdayindia🇮🇳

📷: Robin Varkey

www.2BlueHimself.com taken in Hard Rock Cafe Pune by @2bluehimself

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2 years ago

During my lunch break one afternoon in 2000, I walked into the HSBC ATM near Garware, Vile Parle East. And there he was. Mahesh Tinaikar of Indus Creed.

“I’m a huge fan!” I said, trembling with excitement. I gushed about Indus Creed, their music, their videos, EVERYTHING. At some point, I even asked for his phone number. And he was gracious enough to give me his business card.

A few days later, I made the call.

“I want to form a supergroup. I’ve already got Michael Godinho on guitar. We’d be very happy if you joined us.”

Mahesh laughed.

“You want to form a supergroup in times like these?” he said.

It hurt a little. But in hindsight, I came to appreciate his point of view. Eventually, I joined Vayu. Our paths kept crossing, and the distance between the awestruck fan and his hero began to disappear.

Over the years, Mahesh became someone I could turn to for advice. He guided me through the realities of the music business, particularly when it came to dealing with venues and event organisers. My childhood hero had become my friend and mentor.

But there was one thing he never knew.

That I am the fan who had approached him at that HSBC ATM. And that the young man who had called his landline and asked him to join the supergroup was me.

All these years, Mahesh never connected the dots. And now, he never will.

📷: @nileshblue

#MaheshTinaikar #IndusCreed #TirthankarPoddar #2Blue #2BlueHimself A young 2Blue with the late guitar legend, Mahesh Tinaikar of Indus Creed taken in Radisson Blu Hotel Pune Kharadi by @2bluehimself

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a day ago

SURVIVAL DEMANDS STANDARDS

#WelcomeToTheJungle #GunsNRoses #TirthankarPoddar #2Blue #2BlueHimself

Sound Engineering:

@govindjoshi666 (LIVE)
@johaanthekkan (STUDIO)

www.2BlueHimself.com taken in Hard Rock CAFE, Benguluru by @2bluehimself

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24 days ago

'Heaven On Their Minds' is the opening song of @AndrewLloydWebber's most monumental rock opera, @JesusChristSuperstar. Now that's the song that several of my childhood heroes had sung at the height of their careers. So when theater legend Alyque Padamsee asked if I'd be interested in auditioning for the part, you have no clue how excited, honored, and nervous I was. To be honest, I was freshly unemployed and broke. I just needed to get out of the house to escape the sight of my mother's tears. But I hadn't acted before. Yet Lady Luck was on my side. (She tends to favor beginners.)
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After 6 months of strenuous rehearsals with Alyque Padamsee and Karla Klossher Singh, it was me who sang 'Heaven On Their Minds' to countless theater-enthusiasts night after night. And it was my life that changed forever. Journalists showered praises. So did @HrishiKay from @94.3RadioOneIndia. Catholic nuns offered blessings. Childhood heroes sent messages. And so did a girl I had met a long time ago. Her message almost made me cry. When you swipe to read, you will know why. And when you swipe further, you will see @LavinaBangera with me. Lavina was the youngest dancer on the show and was a true spectacle on stage. After all, she had been coached by @ShiamakOfficial. We were all brought together as a whole that's bigger than the sum of its parts. Like a communion of souls to carry on our own modest version of God's work. And so after all this while, here I am.
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Alyque Padamsee was my guru, guide, and friend. He had agreed to direct my video of 'Heaven On Their Minds.' But on November 17, 2018, he died. And so after all this while, here I am once again... with my own modest version of his work.
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My video is on @YouTube. You will find the link in my bio. If you watch and subscribe, you have no clue what it will mean to me.
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#Life #Death #HeavenOnTheirMinds #JesusChristSuperstar #RockOpera #Musical #AndrewLloydWebber #Music #TimRice #Lyrics #AlyquePadamsee #Director #Guru #Guide #Friend #Legend #Hero #ThisIsUs #TirthankarPoddar #2Blue #2BlueHimself #Singer #Writer #Speaker #Actor #Performer #Storyteller #ilovemylife #ilovemyjob #iloveyou taken in Mumbai, Maharashtra by @2bluehimself

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7 years ago

THE DAY I LEFT: My name is Tirthankar Poddar. (You can call me 2Blue.) I’m a singer, mostly. In 1997, I left Agartala for Mumbai to chase a dream. I didn’t know it then, but that was the day everything changed.

THE NIGHT I ARRIVED: Mumbai almost broke me. But when I finally climbed on stage at Jazz By The Bay, it didn’t matter anymore. Standing in the light where my heroes once stood, I was hungry and tired. But I was so happy that I hugged a waiter and cried. That waiter now runs the city’s finest diner. And to this day, he hasn’t let me pay.

THE DECISION AT 40: After 5 grinding years, I joined Vayu. Together, we headlined every major festival in the country. The only problem was my day job. A Project Manager wasn’t supposed to look, sound, or behave like me. It only got worse when they made me Vice President. So, at 40, I walked away. They called it foolish. I called it the wisest thing I had ever done. I chose music.

THE RIDE SO FAR: I'm in my 50s now. Through the many highs and lows, I’ve managed to sing to more than 200,000 people across India, Thailand, and the UAE, star in two landmark rock musicals, create my own radio show, and perform with Bumblefoot (Guns N’ Roses), George Lynch (Dokken), and Paul Di’Anno (Iron Maiden). Looking back, I wouldn't change a thing.

THE HIGHEST REWARD: Along the way, I won some awards:

‘Best Band’ at Hungama, India
‘Song Of The Year’ at AVIMA, Asia

However, what matters to me most is that my old friend from Jazz By The Bay still cheers the loudest even after all these years. Often with tears in his eyes. That brotherhood? That’s my highest reward.

📷: @sukhbirkalsi_sukhi, @aalekofficial, @rivoralive, @rule34mumbai

#Life #ItsMyLife #TirthankarPoddar #2Blue #2BlueHimself

www.2BlueHimself.com Veteran rockstar Tirthankar Poddar aka 2Blue speaks on stage in the middle of his performance. He is wearing round tinted glasses, rings, and a black t-shirt. His mic stand is draped beautifully with scarves. taken in Charkop Sector 8 by @2bluehimself

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13 days ago

2004 | Mumbai: Before the algorithms. Before Indus Creed’s big reunion.

This was Mumbai’s No. 1 rock band: Vayu.

No smartphones.
No autotune.
Nothing but pure Rock N’ Roll.

You see, sometimes you’ve got to look back to remember where you came from.

If you were there, you were part of something special.

Tag your people.
Relive the best days of your life.

📷: @apoorvaguptay for @timeout_mumbai

#MajorThrowback #Vayu #TirthankarPoddar #2Blue #2BlueHimself

www.2BlueHimself.com 2004. Mumbai on fire.
2Blue, Ravi Iyer, Aatur Soni, and Schubert D’Souza—four men, one sound, and a city that wouldn’t stop screaming. Packed venues. No phones. Just sweat, guitars, and voices singing every word.
If you know, you know. taken in Bandra Fort by @2bluehimself

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6 months ago

2009: When a U.S. visa officer asked me why I was travelling, I quoted Brutus:

“There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.”

And my visa was approved.

2014: When Alyque Padamsee was on the verge of dropping me from Jesus Christ Superstar, I quoted Marc Antony:

“O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,
That I am meek and gentle with these butchers!”

Alyque gave me the role. And playing Judas changed my life forever.

This is all because of what I received from a teacher who had no idea how far his lessons would travel: Mr. Mohan Ninan, my English teacher at Holy Cross School, Agartala.

Revisiting these memories with Soumyadeep Acharya felt like a full circle blessing. The podcast is coming soon on his YouTube channel. Keep an eye out.

#AlyquePadamsee #MohanNinan #SoumyadeepAcharjee #TirthankarPoddar #2BlueHimself

Thank You: @raell.padamsee

🎥: @satrajit_datta

www.2BlueHimself.com taken in Charkop Sector 8 by @2bluehimself

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21 days ago

This is my big brother, Shantanu Mukherji. You know him as Shaan. I know him as warmth, wisdom, and the voice that has soundtracked a million lives. That's us at St. Andrew's Auditorium, Mumbai in 2015 when I played Judas in Alyque Padamsee's production of Jesus Christ Superstar.

Chaos and Comfort?
Grit and Grace?
Rage and Romance?

Call us what you will. Harmony isn’t about sounding the same. It’s about belonging together in contrast.

If you are seeing this on Instagram, that's 'Tanha Dil' playing in the background. 🎧 If it made you feel something, share it with someone you love. Make space for the music you call your own. 🎙️❤️

And maybe someday, his voice and mine will belong together in a playlist of your own. Because there is great power in contrast. And harmony is about belonging together in that contrast. ✨❤️

#IndianMusic #SingersOfInstagram
#IndieArtist #VoiceOfIndia #IndiePop #TanhaDil #BigBrother #MusicalBrothers #MumbaiSingers #Shaan #SingerShaan #TirthankarPoddar #2Blue #2BlueHimself

📷: @RahoulDutt

www.2BlueHimself.com Indian rock singer 2Blue and Bollywood playback legend Shaan share a moment together. A rare meeting of raw rock energy and refined melodic charm — two powerful voices, one unforgettable frame. taken in St Andrews Auditorium by @2bluehimself

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a year ago

At 18, they made me sing in a tiny hostel room in Agartala. At 50, they’re flying me down to sing in a five-star hotel in Phuket.

Full circle blessing. But still, wish me luck. 😊

#NITAgartala #Agartala #TirthankarPoddar #2Blue #2BlueHimself

Photo: @araalexanderofficial
Artwork: @manash_talukdar

www.2BlueHimself.com rockstar 2Blue is seen on stage singing with his hands above his head. The overlaid text shows that he has a show in Phuket, organised by NIT Agartala alumni, on Friday, February 27 at 9 pm. taken in CA hotel and residence by @2bluehimself

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8 months ago

Jackie Shroff and I have known each other for more than 18 years. In this time, I haven’t just admired the star. I’ve known the man behind the stardom. Apna Bhidu doesn't just make promises. He shows up.

During the cataclysm of 2020, Bhidu did something I’ll never forget. The world had shut down. My gigs were gone. And my bank balance was down to its last three digits. That's when I held an online concert. And Bhidu bought the highest number of tickets.

You see, Bhidu kept me afloat without even making me feel like I was sinking. That’s Jackie Shroff for you: the man who doesn't just make promises, but shows up.

If you have people like Jackie Shroff in your life... people who show up in your joy, your mess, and your tears... hold them tight. Tell them what they mean to you.

❤️ Tag them.
❤️ Share it with them.
❤️ Save it to honor them.

Because the older we get, the more precious these people become.

#JackieShroff #ApnaBhidu #RealHero #BollywoodRoyalty
#2Blue #2BlueHimself #TirthankarPoddar #IndependentArtist #IndieMusic #IndianMusicians #IndependentMusic #IndieArtists #SupportIndies #IndieRock #HardRockCafePune #KindnessCounts

📷: @NileshBlue

www.2BlueHimself.com Jackie Shroff, in sunglasses and a white shirt, warmly clasps hands with musician 2Blue (Tirthankar Poddar) at an intimate venue. The image captures a candid moment of connection and gratitude, symbolizing friendship, loyalty, and quiet support during trying times. The words 'Jackie Shroff shows up' appear above them, reinforcing the emotional core of the story. taken in Hard Rock Cafe Pune by @2bluehimself

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a year ago