I hope to compose music for Shah Rukh Khan's films, says musician Zeek
For Zeek, music wasn't something he sought, it found him. The Mumbai-born DJ and music producer traces his journey back to a music festival in Goa, where Axwell's set ignited a spark. A borrowed DJ setup and local gigs at The Little Door in Lokhandwala soon followed, but Zeek's ambitions grew bigger. "I realized I didn't just want to play music—I wanted to make it," he says.
Under the mentorship of Bollywood composer Amaal Mallik, Zeek honed his skills, blending pop and Western sounds into his work. But his creative instincts eventually led him to Los Angeles, where a new chapter began—both personally and professionally. 'Moving here meant starting over. But I trusted the process,' he shares.
Bridging Bollywood and Hollywood
While he sees Bollywood and Hollywood as "siblings separated by distance," Zeek acknowledges the challenges each industry faces. "Both have their own madness and magic," he says, adding that Bollywood still has ground to cover in areas like royalties and songwriter recognition. Still, he remains a self-professed "Bollywood fan forever—always a Shah Rukh Khan fan."
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'Higher Love': A Dream Collaboration
One of Zeek's biggest milestones came with Higher Love, a global anthem for the Smurfs movie soundtrack. Brought together by friend and songwriter Natania, Zeek helped craft the song's Punjabi section, giving it a unique Indian flavor. A chance meeting with Ty Ty Smith, CEO of Roc Nation, led to a surprise: DJ Khaled and Cardi B jumping on the track. 'It was surreal,' Zeek recalls. 'I used to add DJ Khaled tags to my beats back in Andheri—and now he's on a track I co-produced.'
Looking Ahead: Dreams and New Sounds
Currently, Zeek is part of The Indian Connect collective, alongside Aman Moroney, Subhi, and Natania, creating music that blends Indian roots with global pop. Their recent work includes 50-50 for Armaan Malik's wedding EP, Savre. Through his independent project Zeek, he's focused on creating a genre-fluid sound that marries electronic dance music with Indian melodies. New music from The Smurfs movie soundtrack drops on July 18, promising even more of Zeek's signature cross-cultural magic. And there's still one dream he's manifesting: "I hope to one day compose music for Shah Rukh Khan's films. That would truly be a full-circle moment."
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