Fossils lead singer Rupam Islam broke down on stage at Banga Sanskriti Utsav in Kalyani, remembering former bandmate Chandramouli Biswas who died by suicide on Sunday.

Biswas’s body was found hanging from a ceiling fan at his rented Kolkata residence on Sunday evening.

A video posted by a fan on social media showed Rupam addressing the crowd with a trembling voice. “This is the 21st time we’re performing at this festival, and for 16 of those years, Chandramouli was with us. Today, his image stands behind us. We received the news of his passing just as we were on our way here,” the singer said.

“The news hit us like a thunderbolt. None of us feel capable of playing music right now, but we are here because of our audience — because of the Bengali rock community that we built together. Chandramouli was a vital part of that journey,” Rupam added.

Fighting back tears, Rupam reflected on their friendship and shared memories of Chandramouli. “I never thought Fossils would perform without him. He and I shared deep conversations about philosophy and music. Until last year, we were still in touch. We had plans to collaborate on some songs, but now, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to release those. His life had taken a different path, but he remains irreplaceable to me,” Rupam said.

“In a band, collective decisions often override personal ones. That’s why some of our paths diverged. But even as we moved forward, we never imagined we would have to perform on a day like this, with a fallen comrade’s image watching over us. Life is unpredictable, and that’s what makes it profound,” he further said.

Rupam concluded by urging the audience to join the band in honouring Chandramouli’s memory: “We will perform tonight as a tribute to him, sharing memories through our music. But I ask for your understanding. This isn’t just another concert. The pain is overwhelming, and I might not speak as much as I usually do. Let’s get through this together.”

“We are absolutely heartbroken. Rupam and the others are not in a position to give any reaction yet,” Rupsha Dasgupta, Rupam’s wife and Fossils manager, told The Telegraph Online.

Chandramouli Biswas was a bassist associated with Bengali bands like Fossils, Golok and Zombie Cage Control. He was 48.