Kathmandu:

There are only a few among us who are born to stand out from the rest and Nikhil Chinappa is certainly one of them. With his limber good looks and engaging charm, not to mention his truly spectacular talent, this “boy next door” VJ has truly succeeded in wooing many a young Gen X heart and is certainly set on a path of trailblazing glory at least in the party circuits of Nepal if not South Asia and abroad.

Trained as an architect, Chinappa has proved himself in almost every conceivable field of the entertainment industry. From compering shows, doing theatre, hosting shows on radio and being a VJ to the latest passion he has for DJing and making music, VJ Chinappa has manifested his immense talent time and again.

“Life till date has just been a bizarre sequence of coincidences for me. I believe that one must try everything in life and I guess that is how it all happened,” claims this charming and energetic VJ. This hunk can be seen at his best on shows like ‘MTV Select’ (the longest running show on MTV), ‘Brand New’ and a few more special shows on MTV. After completing his architecture, VJ Chinappa started radio jockeying for a station in Bangalore, since he always loved talking to people and cracking jokes. Life after that was a roller-coaster ride and things just started falling in place for Chinappa. MTV VJ Hunt happened in 1997 and Chinappa was a sure shot. This stud has also been spotted in a few movies flaunting the best of his acting abilities including the eclectic ‘Snip’ where he is spotted opposite the glamorous Sophia Haque. “Acting came to me as a repercussion of the lies I used to tell to my mum,” jokes Nikhil.

Amongst all the various professions he pursues, VJ Chinappa says that DJing is the one he is most passionate about. “Music is my strength and I feel DJing is therapeutic for me,” says he, adding, “DJing just happened to me since my girlfriend is a DJ and I love club music. It’s so amazing how thousands of people get connected to each other in a club just by music. I started DJing as a passion and am now doing it professionally in clubs around the country like Seijo in Mumbai, Distal in Chennai, Elevate in Delhi and many more.”

VJ Chinappa has also created music with his friend DJ Naved for a song in the latest blockbuster ‘Dus’ and remixed a song for the upcoming ‘Salaam Namaste’. His favourite genres of music at present are Funky House, Tribal House, Break Beat and Hip Hop though he swears by Rock, his favourites being Aerosmith and Ozzy Osborne. Other artists that top his lists are DJ junior Jack, Dave Angelo, Eric Pridz, Maroon 5, Kelly Clarkson and Alanis Morisette.

Other than devoting his time to his multifarious occupations, VJ Chinappa claims to be a totally outdoor person. In fact his toned body is courtesy the immense amount of interest he shows in adventure sports like bungee jumping, skydiving, scuba diving, white water rafting and trekking. “I love doing things I haven’t done before especially outdoor sports and even encourage my viewers to go outside and not become couch potatoes,” expresses Chinappa. This deep thinker draws inspiration from “stuff that happens around him.” “If something matters to you, it will definitely matter to all and that is what gets me going in life,” he confesses, adding, “I like being a part of what people are. I try and discourage racism and other social evils amongst my audiences.”

Five years down the line, VJ Chinappa sees himself as still having the same amount of fun but, on a more serious note, does plan to open up a radio station of his own one fine day. “I am already helping open a radio station in Maldives which I visited just a few days back,” says he. And, yes, he does have a strong fetish for silver, evident by the number of rings that can be seen on his fingers. As a message for his fans, he says, “Turn the volume up and keep it up. Purely for the cause of annoying your neighbours.” Right on, Nikhil!

Rocking with Chinappa, Ramona, Naved & the crowd

Kathmandu:

It was surely an overwhelming experience for partygoers of Kathmandu to have VJ Nikhil Chinappa and VJ Ramona onstage with their spellbounding performances backed by the most footstomping music played by DJ Naved and, yes, VJ Chinappa, himself. Yes folks! MTV Blast was the ultimate party in town this Friday night.

The trio just rocked the city with their charisma at the party that started around 8 pm and welcomed a crowd of more than 900 that included people who love to party and also people who hardly do. From corporates, celebs, and socialites to the teen party animals — the venue was jampacked by an enthusiastic crowd! Ramona looked drop-dead-gorgeous with her tattoo very visible and attractive while Nikhil was at his simplest and most charming. The crowd went ballistic each time they took over the mic.

As soon as VJ Nikhil and VJ Ramona stepped onstage, their magic just pulled people in from everywhere. Some commercial music was played first to get the crowd into the groove and then DJ Naved and VJ Chinappa took control of the console. The Funky House they played was probably not so sought after until a while ago, but after this party, it sure is going to be the most wanted genre in terms of club music in town.

VJ Ramona and VJ Chinappa hosted the show with utmost grace and excellence and did not let the crowd sit down even for a moment. DigiTech announced prizes for the best dancers. The most amazing part was how the DJs were trying to play an influx of all kinds of music so everyone would jam. The latest Bollywood and Punjabi numbers were also played in exclusive mixes. The credit for throwing such a successful party goes to the organisers Ramylo.com who in spite of this being their first event, put together an awesome show. The sponsors of the event Seagram’s Royal Stag, Channel Nepal and Annapurna Post also did a commendable job. — HNS