Musical Roots - Dj Batuta Aka (Vikram Singh/Sunny)

Musical Roots


Creator and Director of Deepthrust, DJ Batuta's name (a.k.a. "The Beat" en espanol) has become synonomous with the underground electronic scene in New Delhi. As one of the first few DJ's to bring electronic sounds to the capital city a decade ago, Batuta's pioneering spirit and ever-expanding musical taste have continued to bring the most cutting edge music to the Delhi scene from across the globe, while also driving a demand for his artistic talents abroad. DJ Batuta has toured extensively across India and Europe,mainlining some of Europe's biggest clubs in France and Germany, and opening for such renowned artists as Elite Force, Talvin Singh, Midival Pundits & Jalebee Cartel. His beats are always seriously thumping, the energy levels are high, and the textures in the music are twisted and sub-woofer troubling. Driving percussive elements – usually associated with techno and breaks – are combined with an underpinning, rump-shaking groove to create an "attitude" that drives Batuta sets and far surpasses the usual electronica genre descriptions.

The mission is to fuse a variety of elements to challenge and expand the listeners' minds, from the occassional clubber to the most seasoned of music officionados. Deepthrust captures the interest of an expansive scene by stealthily fusing nightlife energy with performance art quality.

” After silence, something which expresses the inexpressible is music ”
Broke the silence of the world with his amusing crackle on 7 th December 1976 , the day he walked on this earth. Music became his predilection, passion and subsequently his life as he grew up tuning and taming the strings of guitar to make them hum on his notes. His interest spawned unfathomably from spanned jazz; classical; rock; hip-hop; disco; funk; country; anything! He loved everything: Led Zeppelin, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, old-skool roots stuff like Trojan, rock like The Doors and Santana. You have to give Santana his props, he was amazing! I was in complete awe of the work of art in music done beautifully; the huge collection of vinyl & cds in my room symbolizes this appreciation - says Batuta .His collection is from literally every spec of time when music had left its golden trail in different genres.

As a young kid I was deeply into disco, hip hop, pop, rock but started cruising to Electronic Music at the age of 16, when a friend handed me couple of cds from Holland . After listening to them my heart just said.... Damn! This Rocks! Music speaks nothing but sound! –The art of Djing'. The DJ isn't on display really, you have to seek that person out, it works in reverse. People are there to have a good time and you gotta read and understand the room. That's how music comes to me: Fundamentals. It's all about sound, not flash and that's why Soundsystems is my forte. Electronic Music smitten Delhi I was one of the first DJs playing House Music when its wave struck the capital of India ( New Delhi ). That's what I grew up with, my first love comments Batuta.


Besides having played to large crowds at private parties to big events he has also put together live acts with a Bass Guitarist and Percussionist. Also re-edited tracks by messing around with the arrangements not the content. It's just for my own sets because I might need a longer period to mix something in... A lot of DJs do that now.” states Batuta.

Clubs & Parties he has played in; No escape (New Delhi), Ricks Bar (Taj Hotel, New Delhi), Plutos (New Delhi) Capitol (Ashoka Hotel, New Delhi), Suede Bar (New Delhi), MKOP (Taj Palace Hotel, New Delhi) , Scream (Le Meridien, Pune), Ssteel (New Delhi), TAPAS (Vasant Continental), Launch party of BLUEYE - Insects from the other Universe (Germany), Webdynamite Party (Austria), Nannu (Traunstien, Germany), Festung Cafe Lounge Bar (Traunstien, Germany) Baci ( New Delhi) Tabularasa (New delhi).

Music Styles .. The MIX All styles of HOUSE, FUNKY BREAKBEATS, TECHNO and some other twisted genres that could grab his ATTENTION!! “He always loved a certain level of risk taking when it comes to my DJ mixing. Marrying the most awkward music together often turns out to be crazy and sexy. And he strongly believes that if it's done right, it'll compliment the artists work while challenging the listener's mind. It's all a matter of momentum, like time does not exist anymore. His favourite time to DJ is at a private party, in a loft, at six in the morning, when everyone's completely fucked up. I just like to hit them on the brain with the music, just play the wackiest, weirdest shit. He really enjoy's it – not for cliché' reasons of fame/money – but on an education level. He wants to educate himself by experimenting more with it.

About Future, he says “Right now I'm focused on getting my first album together and looking for the right label to release it on; it's on its way, My ideas are down, and I'm going to make a record with a few dance pieces. It's going to be more eclectic, more downtempo, more loungey and experimental.

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Pantaloons Femina Miss India 2010

~ Pantaloons Femina Miss India 2010 announces association with the ace Bollywood film makers Madhur Bhandarkar and Vipul Shah ~ & ~ Anupam Kher and Shiamak Davar to lend their expertise ~

Mumbai, 19 January, 2010: Taking the four-and-a-half decade old legacy to newer heights, the mother of all beauty pageants - Pantaloons Femina Miss India – returns with greater zest and zeal this year!

The country’s most sought after beauty contest today announced a strategic collaboration with two of India ’s ace directors Madhur Bhandarkar and Vipul Shah, at Mumbai. These directors will identify, mentor and launch two Miss India finale contestants in their respective upcoming film projects. And that’s not all - industry stalwarts Anupam Kher and Shiamak Davar will also be supporting the association by way of training and mentoring the contestants in acting and dance respectively.

This is the first time in the history of Femina Miss India, that an association of such scale is being worked on. Femina Miss India works as the perfect platform for aspiring young girls to showcase and get acknowledged for their talents, not only in the global fashion arena but also in Bollywood.

The brand Femina Miss India has evolved constantly with new initiatives being added each year to make it a more engaging and innovative platform for women. In the past two years, Miss India added the South and East regional pageants to ensure equal participation from these regions. This association with Bollywood is also a one of its kind exemplary effort to work in synergy with the film industry and provide the perfect launch platform for talented individuals. With the support of stalwarts and leading veterans from the film industry, Femina Miss India can work as the perfect platform for aspiring young girls to make their Bollywood dreams come true.

Madhur Bhandarkar and Vipul Shah will interact with the contestants of Femina Miss India during the training period (Mid March 2010 – End April 2010). From amongst these, they would audition and select one contestant each and launch the selected talent in one of their upcoming projects.

Anupam Kher, who spearheads ‘Actor Prepares’, one of India’s finest acting schools, shall be designing a specialized training module for contestants in nuances of acting. In fact, ‘Actor Prepares’ shall also award a scholarship for their Full Time Diploma Course in Acting – 3 months to any one of the deserving contestants.

Shiamak Davar, India’s guru of modern contemporary dance , along with his team at SDIPA will be conducting exclusive workshops where he will train the contestants in Bollywood dancing.
The credibility of this pageant lies in its experienced and noteworthy panel of experts, who this year will include the likes of Marc Robinson, the official Contestant Director and Fashion Director, Mickey Mehta, Dr. Jamuna Pai, Dr Purnima Mhatre, Alisya Raut, Seema Hingrany, Sabina Merchant, Dr. Sandesh Mayekar and Prasad Bidappa.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Sameer Soni, National Director, Femina Miss India said, “This year we have introduced a fresh concept of cinema to the entire property since most of our past contestants have received a red carpet entry in the film industry. With this new chapter added to the pageant, it would now provide a bigger opportunity and open up newer avenues for the participating contestants. We are happy to associate with filmmakers Vipul Shah and Madhur Bhandarkar in launching this initiative and express our gratitude to industry stalwarts Anupam Kher and Shiamak Davar who support us in this venture by imparting training to the contestants in acting and dance.”


The CEO of Pantaloons, Sanjeev Agarwal said, “A step into Bollywood now signals success for the new talent in the fashion industry. Pantaloons is proud of the new association which Pantaloons Femina Miss India is creating with established production houses in Bollywood, thus creating a definitive culmination to the journey of the contestant which starts with the entry to the pageant.”

Filmmaker Vipul Shah stated, “Today Indian cinema is becoming the dream that millions want to achieve. Young individuals from across the country come to Mumbai to achieve this dream but they don’t know how! Without proper preparation many talented candidates lose out on possible glory. Femina Miss India is a great platform for talented individuals to get noticed. By providing specialized and focused guidance to the potential Miss Indias, they will become a complete package not just for Indian cinema but also to represent the country more confidently on the global platform at a later stage.”

Commenting on the association, filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar says, “This association will bring about a novel, focused yet entertaining element to the Miss India training process. We will ensure we create superb actresses in tandem with the Femina Miss India team. It is known fact that I love working with newcomers, new subjects for my films and I think that this innovative tie-up will give the film industry talented actresses to reckon with. I am looking for the right mix of talent and individuality and Femina Miss India is the perfect place to find such a person. “

Veteran actor, producer and acting mentor, Anupam Kher stated, "I am very happy that my school Actor Prepares will be a part of this initiative. Femina Miss India is a great platform for scouting talent especially since we have had great actresses from that background. Actor Prepares and I look forward to training the contestants in nuances of acting. Bollywood is an aspiration for many and it is fulfilling to be a part of making someone's dream come true"

Shiamak Davar, the guru of modern contemporary dance adds, “Since I have been present at the South and East Pageants respectively this season, I have observed great potential in the contestants who have been carefully handpicked. Dance is an essential part of basic co-ordination and it is essential that the mind, body and soul are in perfect sync. The film industry today is a competitive place and it is a privilege for these contestants to be trained in dance and acting and be prepared to take the challenge head on.”


Marc Robinson, Contestant Director & Fashion Director PFMI 2010, stated, “I’m extremely pleased to be associated with Pantaloons Femina Miss India 2010. This association with Bollywood has opened up an exciting avenue & we are excited about tapping talent & honing them to take the film industry by storm. We will endeavor to focus on potential talent who showcase an innate the aptitude and strive to create a niche for themselves, not only by their outstanding looks & a perfect body, but also their aspirations, talent & intellect.”



The Femina Miss India pageant has recognized and nurtured the hidden talent in Sushmita Sen, Aishwarya Rai, Lara Dutta, Priyanka Chopra, Dia Mirza and many others to perfection, and they have brought international fame and recognition to our country by proving their mettle on the global platform. And with the combined efforts of these talented experts this year, the success graph is sure to scale newer heights!


About Pantaloons
With the first store in Gariahat in Calcutta 11 years back to being the largest chain of fashion retail store with 42 stores across 23 cities Pantaloons has come a long way. Not only does Pantaloons has a large presence in Metros like Delhi - 8 stores; Mumbai - 7 stores; Calcutta - 4 stores; Bangalore - 3 stores, Pantaloons has also established a significant presence in non metros like Lucknow, Indore, Mangalore, Bhubaneshwar and Guwahati. Today Pantaloons is a brand synonymous with Fashion. Whether you are gearing up for a outdoor trip or for a formal family gathering, choose from a wide range of brands like John Miller, Lombard, Annabelle, Honey, BARE, Ajile, RIG, UMM, F Factor, Akkriti, Trisha, Rang Manch, Chalk which are available exclusively at Pantaloons. Pantaloons caters to the fashion need of the entire family with a wide range in apparel and fashion accessories for men, women and kids. With a large reach in terms of sheer presence, Pantaloons is taking fashion to newer heights and to a larger customer base.

About Femina Miss India
The Femina Miss India Pageant now in its 46th year is the oldest and the most credible beauty pageant in India and for Indians globally. The pageant has launched many a face like Sushmita Sen, Aishwarya Rai, Lara Dutta, Priyanka Chopra, Dia Mirza etc. to name a few who have carved a niche for themselves across the globe. Over the years Femina Miss India has evolved considerably with the changing face of global beauty and fashion trends. Last year we hosted the 2nd Femina Miss India South and launched Femina Miss India East and also conducted Auditions in 16 cities across India .

About Bhandarkar Entertainment
Bhandarkar Entertainment is founded by Mr. Madhur Bhandarkar who is one of the most renowned filmmakers of the Indian film Industry. Bhandarkar Entertainment has produced and presented films like Jail, Fashion and Traffic Signal which have received critical acclaim as well as success at the box office in India as well as internationally. It has now also ventured into television and ad film production. The company will start working on short women oriented stories for Sony soon.

About Blockbuster Movie Entertainers
Block Buster Movie Entertainers (BBME) is a company of high repute in the Indian entertainment industry, known to be pioneers –a benchmark for other companies in the sector. Mr. Vipul Shah is the founder and creative mind behind the company. BBME is involved in generating quality content for distribution in the entertainment industry. In 2005, Mr. Vipul Shah re-collaborated with the Indian Film Industry’s biggest personality, Mr. Amitabh Bachchan to make and release, “Waqt – the race against time”. This was followed up with, “Namastey London” in 2007 followed by Singh is king in 2008 and then London Dreams in 2009; each successive venture being that much more popular with the audiences. They have garnered critical acclaim and commercial success worldwide. The production of “Singh is Kinng”, has taken it a notch higher by bring onboard a team of internationally renowned technicians including Mr. Ben Nott, the Director of Photography, Danny Baldwin (Action Choreography), Margrette Stevenson (Make-up), Steve Burnside (Production Designer), and David Redman (Line Producer).

About Actor Prepares
ACTOR PREPARES is India 's finest acting school for talented individuals who wish to pursue careers as actor-performers in the entertainment industry. The intensive professional-level course provides specialised training in acting. The classes at ACTOR PREPARES are conducted by competent in-house faculty members who passionately teach the craft through theories, games, exercises and extensively filmed practicals. In addition, there is a roster of Bollywood celebrities, which comprises the schools visiting faculty, who share with students their invaluable on-the-job experiences and tips to success. Above all, each student receives individual guidance and counseling from the countrys most successful, trained teacher-actor, Anupam Kher, throughout the programme.

About SDIPA
SIDPA- The Shiamak Davar Institute for performing arts is India ’s finest dance institute with branches in all major cities. SDIPA formalized in 1992 with only two centers in Mumbai. Today SDIPA has around 13 centers in Mumbai, 7 in Delhi , 4 in Bangalore along with summer workshops in many other cities like Pune, Goa , and Hyderabad etc. thousands of students have transformed, honed and discovered their talents through SDIPA over the years. Jazz, Afro-Rock, Hip-hop and Bollywood are just a few of the popular genres of music through which the beauty of Art is taught at this institute.