DJ AQEEL @ MYX

Welcome back to Calcutta! What do you look forward to here? 

I’ve been coming to Calcutta every year since 2012 at The HHI during Durga Puja! And it’s amazing that even after coming every year, all my shows are full. As a city I really love Calcutta, the people here take partying and drinking very seriously. They love food... today I had this amazing Chelo Kebab at Peter Cat! I relate to the crowd... and whenever I am here, there are 70 per cent women in the crowd and 30 per cent guys, which is really awesome! Also, things I noticed this time are good roads, new hotels, infrastructure changing and people dressing really cool.

What have you been up to?

I have been busy opening a few more nightclubs, like day before yesterday, I opened my brand new nightclub called Sirkus inside Sahara Hotel, right next to the international airport in Mumbai. Sirkus stands for circus, just see it to believe it! Right now this is the only nightclub that I have. Hype and RSVP now follow a franchise model, where I have given them my name but they are run by others. I have a company called DAM (DJ Aqeel Management) that is running 10 nightclubs and Sirkus is one of them. 

In a city like Mumbai, what’s the biggest challenge when it comes to nightclubs?

The biggest challenge in Mumbai is that bars have taken over. Everybody wants to go to a bar or a pub — where you eat, dance, socialise and talk — rather than go to a place where you just party and dance. Well, that’s a challenge and we are up for it, let’s hope it works. 

What’s your take on old songs coming back, like Kala chashma? 

If you remember, six-seven years ago people were asking DJs why are you remixing other people’s songs… do something original. And look at Bollywood now! I just love how progressive people have become. They really don’t care, as long as the music is good, they appreciate and move on. Am glad Bolly is doing this now and personally I have always taken remixing songs as a matter of pride. At the same time, someone who is remixing should be creative and not just copy.

Ever since this gig was announced, women in the party circuit here have been going cray. What do you think is your sexiest asset? 

I have no clue! I have just come here like a good boy and that’s it (grins). Umm, may be my smile (smiles broadly)! 

Do you think becoming a DJ is that easy?

I don’t know if it’s easy to become one but it is definitely difficult to sustain. I have been DJing for the last 17 years and it is tough. You got to love what you do, and you cannot play a non-stop CD and fool people. You need to have it in you… 

How important is it for a DJ to be presentable and active on social media?

I am not crazy on social media, but it is very important, honestly. They have to be very well-groomed, as nobody wants to see a not-well-groomed DJ. 

Your take on artistes like Nucleya, Lost Stories or Zaeden, who have a very distinct style?

I did a college show with Nucleya and I think he is brilliant! He is very cool, different, and I like how he plays his music and drops a line of Hindi or Punjabi and people go crazy. His sound is very powerful, very global. Lost Stories and Zaeden I haven’t heard but I am going to call both to my club, since it is very international. We only do one Bolly night every five weeks!

Your dream music video will feature…

I would definitely like to feature myself in the video, and feature Madonna, Rihanna and Justin Bieber in my track. These three will sing my song and I’ll get the track remixed by Calvin Harris, who is my fave DJ. He is outstanding, progressive, and good-looking! 

Among singers, who do you consider a dark horse in Bollywood?

Whoever does a Bolly track is not a dark horse anymore! Neha Kakkar, Neeti Mohan, Arijit Singh and Armaan Malik — they are outstanding!

Bobby Deol recently made quite a buzz when a creative went viral saying he was DJ’ing at RSVP in Delhi...

Yes, Bobby was there at RSVP, which is my franchise, but the whole thing was misinterpreted. Bobby is not a DJ, he had just come for a special appearance... he doesn’t even know how to deejay! The guys promoted it wrongly. He literally came at 11.45pm and left at midnight. 

Badshah or Yo Yo Honey Singh?

See, the current favourite is Badshah, but overall Honey Singh has so many legendary tracks. Honey Singh is a class apart, so I do not think they are comparable. Honey Singh has just come out of his little issues... give him some time, if he has it in him he will come out with more tracks.

DJ LEMON @ BLACK LOUNGE 

Pramita Ghosh 
Pictures: B. Halder