Are firang DJs ruling us?

Are foreign DJs really popular with the masses bred on Bhangra numbers and Indi-pop?

Ever heard of a DJ Lee Softley aka Blue Amazon from UK? Better yet, DJ Ayesha from USA or a DJ Neuromotor from Japan? Well, if you have then congratulations because not many have. These are only a couple of unknown DJs who are shaking the nightlife in the major metros of the country.

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If the presence of foreign DJs at nightclubs in Delhi, Bangalore and other big cities is anything to go by, the trend is far from comforting, since at any point of time there are in excess of 2-3 foreign DJs who the club-goers are dancing their nights off to. While some argue that Indians are finally getting a royal taste of music from trans-Pacific cousins (the Americans) and the Britishers, but then is it Royal enough," asks Ashar Zaidi, member of a Delhi-based rock band.

"There are hardly 2-3 DJs who're popular worldwide, the rest are hardly known names. Moreover, even if they are playing good music it's more of an eyewash because they play house and lounge music only to set the tone and then it's back to the local DJs to dish out music that caters to the local ear-buds", says Amit B, a DJ of Desi variety.

"People in the North like Bhangra and dancing to Bollywood hits, these DJs on the other hand haven't even heard of Hindi commercial music, let alone play it," he says.

"A DJ like Quicksilver charges anywhere between Rs 2-3 lakh, while someone like Paul Vin Dyke charges between 5-6 lakh. The lesser known DJs are comparatively cheap with prices hovering between Rs 50-60,000," a nightclub owner says.