Going full circle, Bengaluru magga DJ, VJ, actor and RJ Nikhil Chinapa is back on the radio to popularise dance music. Popularly known as the “flavour” boy on Madras FM, Nikhil is geared up for his new radio show — In The Mix with Nikhil Chinapa. He says, “I want to break the monotonous radio format of back-to-back music for an hour. I plan to introduce new artistes, bring in guest DJs, and introduce every song and a lot more.”
The show promises three hours of fun in Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai and the best party on a Saturday night. “I want to introduce club culture to the Indian listeners,” adds Nikhil. A come back on radio is something that Nikhil has been wanting for a long time now. “It is a great feeling — no cameras, just headphones on, tuned into great music, the mic and me in a studio. This is like I'm coming back home. It has been 15 years since I have done anything to do with radio,” says Nikhil.
Things were different and radio was not a career option for youngsters back then. Nikhil says, “While I was studying architecture, I never thought that radio and theatre would be my career path. A lot of “why nots” have brought me where I am today.” By chance, he got into stage management and then MCing and one day radio. From there, his road went down this way.
Disc jockey, video jockey, actor or radio jockey the preferred pick for him? Nikhil says, “DJing gives me immense satisfaction. I get to share music on a dance floor with so many people. Live radio comes a close second.” A frequent visitor to the city, Nikhil says, “I would love to spend more time with my parents, which I seldom get to do.” The two things he must indulge in while in the city, he says, “Crisp but not crisp, just right inside” dosas at Konark and the barbeque chicken at Sunny’s. The next big thing in the pipeline for Nikhil is the new season of Splitsvilla that he is really excited about.
