The band · 2026 lineup

Eleven players,one songbook.

Chili Beatz is a full live band — voices, guitars, horns, keys and percussion — playing the Hindi film songbook across Southern California since 2005.

Founding Music Director Emeritus

Niranjan Kanaglekar

Founded Chili Beatz in 2005, taking the band to its first performance in Santa Monica, and shaped its sound and its arrangements for twenty years. Now steps back from the podium, and stays part of the band’s story.

On stage

Who you’ll hear

Voices 05

Swati Kanaglekar

Vocals

Chandra Mohan

Vocals

On travel

Snigdha

Vocals

Jairam

Vocals

Team leader

Sabah Rahman

Vocals

Vocalist

Strings, horns & keys 03

Manoj Khatore

Guitar and vocals

Music director

Tom Scharf

Bass guitar, saxophone, trumpet and keyboard

Zeeshan Nadir

Keyboard

Rhythm 03

Nitin Bajaj

Drums and percussion

On travel

Justin James

Drums and percussion

Anubhav

Percussion

The Chili Beatz band members together — Photographed in 2023 · the lineup has grown since

Next performance

Sunday, September 13

A live Bollywood concert at the Scherr Forum, Thousand Oaks — supporting a fundraiser for Sri Venkata Krishna Temple, Newbury Park.

Book tickets → Book the band