He began working as a team dancer with Bollywood celebs like Sajid Khan, Longinus Fernandes and Arshad Warsi when he was just 13. Later, after a stint as a choreographer, he got into DJing at a nightclub. 
A self-taught disc jockey, Akbar Sami was recently honoured with the DJ of the Decade Award by India Nightlife Convention & Awards. He released his first single Kabhi Kabhi last year and is ready with three more singles, which will be out soon. He has also composed and sung a Punjabi-Spanish English solo track, Senorita – It’s An Original. 

Born to a housewife mother and a film producer father in Mumbai, Sami couldn’t complete his higher studies as he started working when he was still in school. “I had a passion to work. I guess, it came from watching my father. I began really early — I danced, choreographed and acted as a child artiste for Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Manmohan Desai. I modelled for a few top Indian fashion designers and did TV commercials too before getting into the music business,” he says.

Ask him when did he decide on becoming a DJ and Sami is quick to respond, “I never decided to do any of the jobs, including DJing. I did whatever came my way. DJing came my way while I was choreographing dance and fashion shows. Though it was not much recognised in India at that time, I took it up. But while  on the job, I developed a love for it and before I realised I had become a DJ.” 

Talking about the evolution of DJing as a profession over the years, Sami avers, “Today, it is much better than what it was 15-20 years ago. I used to think when I reach this stage of my life, it would all be over and I would be sitting in some studio producing music but today, I am busier than ever before as a DJ. At the end of the day, it’s all about experience, knowledge and dedication. And professionalism is the core.”

Other than music, Sami is involved with NGO Excess Life. “This is the most important project I’m involved with at the moment. Excess Life works for children fighting cancer. Other than this, I am working on two interesting festival films which come from my home production, Running Water Films along with my partner, Adnan Ali. Besides, I am recording music and dubbing for three singles, of which two are original compositions and one, a cover version.”

On advice to new entrants in the field of DJing, he says, “DJing is not what it looks like. One has to have the knowledge in music and sound and the most important factor which is missing in a lot of DJs is the sense of rhythm. Technology helps you mix one song after another but it can’t give you the art. The experience of what should be played when and where is important too. First-hand experience will only come if you get trained from professionals or institutes with trained teachers.” Sami also cautions aspiring DJs to be mindful of the fact that DJing can damage eardrums, eyesight and mess up the sleeping pattern. 

Taking life as it comes
I never decided to do any of the jobs, including DJing. I did whatever came my way. DJing came my way while I was choreographing dance and fashion shows. Though it was not much recognised in India at that time, I took it up. But while on the job, I developed a love for it.