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DJ Aqeel on performing with his daughter Fizaa! Says music doesn't know your age
ETimes | August 2, 2026 4:39 PM CST

Long before electronic music found a mainstream audience in India, DJ Aqeel was already changing the way the country partied. One of the pioneers of India's remix revolution in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Aqeel became a household name with chartbusters like Shake It Daddy Mix and Disco 82, helping bring dance music into the mainstream. Over the years, he has reinvented himself from a Bollywood remix specialist to an electronic music producer, embracing global sounds such as Afro House well before they became popular. As India's electronic music scene continues to evolve, the veteran DJ says staying relevant has never been about following trends but about staying curious.

"Relevance isn't about chasing trends — it's about staying curious," says Aqeel, reflecting on a career that has spanned more than two decades. "I've never believed in standing still. From Bollywood remixes to electronic music, and now Afro House, I've always embraced change while staying true to my own identity. The audience that grew up listening to me is still with me, and today their children are discovering my music too."

Calling himself an early adopter of Afro House, Aqeel says he began experimenting with the genre years before it found a wider audience in India. "I've always believed the best time to play a new sound is before it becomes popular. I've been playing Afro House and electronic Bollywood since 2020, when very few DJs in India were experimenting with it. Today, I have dozens of officially released Afro House productions and remixes."

As he prepares to perform for audiences across age groups, Aqeel says music has always been a bridge between generations rather than a dividing line. "Music doesn't know your age — it only knows your energy."

After spending over two decades behind the console, DJ Aqeel is taking on a new role — sharing the stage with his daughter, Fizaa . The pioneer of India's remix revolution is set to kick off a five-city tour at Bastian Beach Club, where the father-daughter duo promises a set that blends nostalgia with contemporary electronic sounds. Aqeel says the tour is as much about family as it is about music.

"This isn't just a DJ set — it's two generations telling one musical story," he says. "Fizaa brings the fresh perspective and energy of Gen Z, while I bring over two decades of experience performing around the world. Together, we've designed a musical journey that moves effortlessly between timeless classics, nostalgic anthems and today's biggest electronic sounds."



The veteran DJ, who has been championing Afro House and electronic Bollywood since 2020, says audiences can expect exclusive edits, original productions and "plenty of surprises." But beyond the music, it's the emotional aspect of the tour that means the most to him. "As a father, there's no greater feeling than sharing the stage with my daughter. Our goal is simple — to unite every generation on one dance floor and remind people that great music has no age, it only has energy. I perform across the world for Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X, and this tour celebrates exactly that. Taking this experience to new cities means introducing more audiences to a show that blends nostalgia with fresh energy while creating a space where every generation can come together through music."


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