the musician

He is known for his strong stand on social causes, no-nonsense attitude and quick wit. But what Vishal Dadlani is best known for is his music. Part of the Vishal-Shekhar duo, the musician has to his credit several hits since his Jhankaar Beats days. His albums are known to have the best of both worlds - techno dance numbers and soulful melodies. He has a finger in every pie - he cuts albums with his band Pentagram, directs music for films, judges talent shows, is a playback singer and enthrals audiences at live concerts.

The singer-cum-music director, who will be performing in the city on October 19, though enjoys every bit of his hectic schedule, and is looking forward to rocking the city of Nizams.

"Performing in Hyderabad is always a lot of fun. The audience here has a very young vibe and it's a very cosmopolitan city. The crowd is very receptive and enthusiastic. So we're looking to be one among them and party with them," says Vishal.

The musician who has performed in the city several times in the past says, "I'd played some of our first songs with Pentagram in Hyderabad and we'd love to come back with the band to the city. Apart from that Shekhar and I have performed at college fests, private events etc in Hyderabad and each time we have had a lot of fun. This time of course our playlist will include some of our latest numbers. But our performance will largely depend on audience preferences. We're basically looking to just have fun," he says.

But what Vishal is really looking forward to is digging into some good old South Indian fare. "I'm not too big on the Nawabi fare, but I love Andhra food. I'm vegetarian and the variety the cuisine has to offer is amazing. So I intend to get my dose of Andhra food while I'm there," he laughs.

The music director, who is currently working on a couple of Bollywood projects that include Gori Tere Pyaar Mein and Bang Bang, says, "Music in films has changed so much since Jhankaar Beats. The focus today is more on dance numbers and less on melodious songs. While dance numbers are great, Shekhar and I consciously try and strike a balance between the two genres in our films."

Another thing that he is very passionate about is standing up for what is right. "Well, it's about time people did take a stand and raised their voice against issues - be it good roads or corruption. It's time we cleaned out the garbage," he says.

Keywords: VIshal Dadlani, Andhra cuisine