Ten years ago it was every parent’s nightmare — their teenage child walking in and announcing that he or she wanted to be a DJ! Many shattered dreams later, times have changed and a career that not many had heard of then, has created quite a few stars.

Thanks to the numerous parties being held all over India, DJs are now glam stars. But if you thought it was still solely a male bastion — think again! Today, there are many women who know how to get a party started in Delhi and indeed many women all over India who can set the dance floor on fire!
Take DJ Kary Arora who was the first Indian woman to DJ professionally. A private party in Chattarpur gave her her first big break in 1977 and she’s never looked back since then. Similarly there’s Kamya a well-known DJ on the party circuit in Mumbai and Delhi. A model-turned-DJ, Kamya has spun turntables at IVY, Ricks, The Islander Bar and many other venues. But she says that there’s still a long way to go for women players in the field. “We are getting a lot of work but at the same time, society’s mindset has to change. They still don’t realise that the dressed up girl behind the console isn’t there to add glam quotient, but is putting in a lot of hard work just so that everyone out there can have a good time. It’s our profession and as long as we’re doing a good job, no one should have a problem.’’
“The first time I told my father I wanted to be a DJ he was quite taken aback. His first response was that ‘it won’t pay your bills’,’’ jokes DJ Kini, an only child who opted for a career as a DJ when it was still taboo for girls let alone boys. This Hyderabadi spinner started out as a DJ after chucking up her job in a bank in Australia. Today, she is happy that she chose a career that gives her immense satisfaction. Just four years into her passion and she is one of the top DJs in Mumbai. “My flat mate had a pair of decks. One day I found myself tinkering with them and six months later I was playing at the most happening place in Hyderabad — the Poison Bar.”
DJ Ayesha Pramanik who has been on the circuit for more than a decade says that women are now breaking the glass ceiling. She believes, “A unique style and a choice of music with a feminine touch be it techno trance or any other type of music has a lot of takers. Practising is what brought me where I am today.” Ayesha has been travelling and spinning out music from the age of 16.
Hot on all these ladies’ heels is Priyanjana who sneaked out of home to watch a DJ competition — by 19 she was already behind the console spinning magic in nightclubs in Kolkata. “I never had to look back after that,” says the youngster.
Though Kerala has still to go ahead in promoting lady DJs quite a few have given it a shot and come out with flying colours. One of them who is waiting to make it big with her talent in mixing music is Kochi’s own DJ Tessy.
But there is a downside to all this glam. Quite recently a European lady DJ was literally mobbed by a group of youngsters at a show in Calicut. “There are many categories of people who drop in. If some come for the love of music and to have fun, others come to just ogle at you,” says Tessy.