For most artists, identity is deeply personal. But for Sanam Puri, the line between individual and collective has blurred over the years. What began as a band named after him has slowly evolved into something far larger than one person — a shared identity built over a decade of music, memories, and millions of listeners. during a recent chat with us, the members of SANAM reflected on fame, friendship, reinvention, and what it truly means to belong to something bigger than yourself.
Sanam Puri on having the same name as the band
Speaking about the unusual dynamic of the band carrying his own name, Sanam explained that he no longer views “SANAM” as an extension of himself alone. “For me, the band itself is my identity. Yes, it’s my name, but I see it as the band’s name first. When I hear ‘Sanam,’ I don’t necessarily think of myself as an individual, it feels like something larger than me,” he shared. Over time, he believes audiences too have started recognizing that separation between the individual and the collective. In fact, he joked that some interviewers even forget to count him separately as a member. That prompted a quick laugh from guitarist Samar Puri, who quipped, “It’s called sacrifice.” The conversation reflected something that has long defined the band — a relationship rooted less in hierarchy and more in shared experience. Even after years in the industry, the four members continue to approach the band as a collective journey rather than individual spotlights. That sense of togetherness also appears to be guiding the next phase of SANAM’s evolution. As the band navigates changing audience behavior, social media pressures, and questions around originality and artistic fulfillment, they repeatedly return to one idea: authenticity. For Sanam, that authenticity lies in being able to create without masks. “The best place to be is when you can be vulnerable and put out what you truly believe in, without worrying about how it performs,” he said. And perhaps that is what SANAM has become after all these years — not just a band name, but a shared emotional space where identity belongs equally to all four members.
