DJ Sartek talks about bringing Indian folk energy to the global dance floor: ‘Always have that desi fire'
After years of making global dance tracks that earned him support from names like David Guetta and Armin van Buuren, Sartek realised he missed the texture and emotion of Indian instruments like the sitar, tabla, and sarangi. Folk House gave him a way to bring them into the drop, without losing his electronic edge.
He believes the genre's rising global appeal comes from its perfect balance of nostalgia and energy. 'Festivals and party culture have leaned into fusion sets. People want beats to dance to and melodies they've grown up with—it's a no-brainer,' he says, pointing out how hybrid dance styles have already gone mainstream in the USA, UK, and Middle East.
Authenticity, for him, is non-negotiable. 'I let the folk elements lead the way and then build my electronic sound around them,' he explains. 'It's like two sides of me having a conversation in a track.' His list of dream sounds to explore includes the Rudra veena, Rajasthani khartal, and Punjabi tumbi—each bringing what he calls 'raw, earthy energy' to the floor.
Sartek's path here has been far from traditional. A former CA aspirant, he left accounting behind for music—despite scepticism from many. That gamble led him to stages with AP Dhillon and even Shah Rukh Khan, who once crossed a Dubai stage just to shake his hand and say 'thank you.' 'That moment taught me to stay humble—no matter how big you get,' he says.
Looking ahead, Folk House will remain central to his upcoming releases, with plans to bring untapped regional sounds into the global dance conversation. 'It'll always have that desi fire,' he says. 'But most importantly, it'll always sound like me.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Pink Villa
18 minutes ago
- Pink Villa
F1 India Box Office Update: Brad Pitt's movie stays in race to smash Rs 100 crore net; Emerges biggest hit of Summer 2025 in the country
F1, directed by Joseph Kosinski and starring Brad Pitt is having a dream run at the box office. It has been 56 days of the movie running in India, and the performance doesn't cease to amaze. A movie that was expected to do roughly Rs 20 crore net at the Indian box office in its full run, will end up with collections of around or little over Rs 100 crore, thanks to its exceptional word of mouth. After 8 weeks, F1 's collections stand at Rs 96.60 crore net (Rs 118.70 crore gross), and there's steam still left. The Week Wise India Box Office Collections Of F1 Are As Under Week India Net Box Office 1 Rs 34.50 crore 2 Rs 24.90 crore 3 Rs 13.40 crore 4 Rs 10.90 crore 5 Rs 4.30 crore 6 Rs 4.10 crore 7 Rs 3.30 crore 8 Rs 1.20 crore Total Rs 96.60 crore net in 8 weeks F1 Braves Competition From Biggies In India F1 has braved competition from Sitaare Zameen Par, Maa, Metro In Dino, Jurassic World: Rebirth, Maalik, Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan, Superman, Saiyaara, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Mahavatar Narsimha, Kingdom, Dhadak 2, Son Of Sardaar 2, War 2, Coolie, Freakier Friday, Weapons and a bunch of other movies, to reach where it is. With no new big releases this week, F1 should get more screens to perform in. The collections in week 9 should most likely be higher than week 8. Then, the buzz around its digital premiere should most likely lift it to a lifetime of Rs 100 crore net. F1 Continues Crushing Global Predictions Each Week At the global box office too, F1 has been crushing it, showing great holds each week. All projections went wrong in the opening weekend, and they continue going wrong even now, each week. The film gears up for a finish to the north of USD 600 million worldwide. It will be a photo-finish with Superman. The difference between both movies is that F1's international collections are higher while Superman's domestic collections are higher. F1 In Theatres
Hindustan Times
18 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Saare Jahan Se Accha shows a human, real spy, away from the flashy style of James Bond: Pratik Gandhi
For Pratik Gandhi, his new show, Saare Jahan Se Accha is more spy drama than a thriller. "That drama is a big part because we are dealing with complex human emotions," he tells us, explaining what separates the Netflix series from the overpopulated genre of spy thrillers in vogue today. Pratik spoke to HT along with the show's creators about its unique space and approach. Pratik Gandhi plays a spy in Netflix's Saare Jahan Se Accha. Keeping it real Saare Jahan Se Accha tells the story of a RAW agent in Pakistan in the 1970s, whose mission is to prevent the nation from becoming an atomic power. Based on true events, the show gives up the swanky Bond and Pathaan-style narrative of espionage for one grounded in realism. The show's creator, Gaurav Arora, explains, "The hyper-realistic style is to show a very stylish spy with good-looking women and in exotic locations. My attempt was to keep it very real and to show their pain and pressure." What separates Saare Jahan Se Accha from other spy dramas is how it treats the 'enemy'. Its depiction of ISI agents and Pakistani Army officials as humans instead of one-dimensional characters has been noted. Sejal Shah, the producer, explains, 'The idea was not to make a spectacle but to tell a story driven by the characters. And that is what we have here, characters who have a story - and both sides have stories.' Not James Bond Pratik plays Vishnu in the show, an Indian spy embedded in Pakistan. Talking about playing an everyman spy, he says, "James Bond was my first-ever introduction to spies. I always felt that anyone who plays a spy on screen will be a very flashy, flamboyant guy, very charming. He can do anything. He is almost a superhero. That was my initial understanding in my growing-up days. But I wouldn't call this series a spy thriller. It is a spy drama. That makes it absolutely fresh for me as an actor." Saare Jahan Se Accha also stars Sunny Hinduja, Tillotama Shome, Anup Soni, Kritika Kamra, and Suhail Nayyar. The show is currently streaming on Netflix.
Time of India
30 minutes ago
- Time of India
Vivek Agnihotri clarifies jibe at Saif-Kareena's son Taimur, Pooja Bedi reveals her mother Protima's body was never found, Nick Jonas' quirky bedtime ritual with Priyanka Chopra: Top 5 entertainment news
The world of entertainment never slows down — from clarifications and revelations to quirky confessions. Vivek Agnihotri addressed whether he took a jibe at Saif Ali Khan , while Pooja Bedi shared that her mother Protima's body was never found after her death. Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif's son's name grabbed attention, and Nick Jonas revealed his unusual bedtime ritual with Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Here's a roundup of the five biggest stories you can't miss. 'Nobody should name their child Taimur,' says Vivek Agnihotri, clarifying if he took a jibe at Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan's son's name: 'He went on a killing spree' Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan named their first son Taimur and it created a lot of stir. Now in the recently released trailer of 'The Bengal Files', people thought that film-maker Vivek Agnihotri has taken a jibe at Saif and Kareena naming their son 'Taimur'. In a recent interview, Agnihotri clarified that he wasn't targeting anyone personally, but asserted that no Indian should choose to name their child after what he described as a "murderous invader. " Speaking on The Raunac Show, Agnihotri was asked if the reference in his trailer was aimed at Saif and Kareena's son. He replied, "A lot of people are named Taimur. (Saif) wasn't the first person to name his child Taimur. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Groceries Delivered in a Blink – Trusted by Millions Across India Blinkit: Grocery in 10 minutes : India's last minute app Undo Let me explain. When I went to shoot The Tashkent Files in Samarkand, I visited Taimur's tomb. Outside it, it is written, 'He conquered the richest sultanate in the world.' This was the Delhi Sultanate. They were about to give him the title of Emperor, but he refused, and said that he wouldn't accept it until he conquers Delhi." Pooja Bedi says her mother Protima's body was never found after her death, regrets that she passed away before turning 50: 'She lived life on her own terms' Pooja Bedi's first marriage was with Protima Gauri in 1969. While today things are modern and we have the concept of open marriages or relationships, Kabir and Protima had an open marriage in those days. They had two children, Pooja and Siddhartha, yet, the couple got divorced in 1977. In a recent interview, Pooja has opened up on her mother Protima and her death. Protima was a celebrated model-turned-dancer who became known as much for her fearless individuality as for her art. In a recent conversation with SCREEN, Pooja opened up about her mother's remarkable life and how she left the world exactly the way she had always wished-by merging with nature. Protima passed away in the mountains, her body never recovered. While Pooja still mourns that her mother didn't live to see her 50th birthday, she finds solace in the fact that Protima lived-and departed-on her own terms. Nick Jonas reveals his 'quirky' bed ritual with Priyanka Chopra Jonas which sparks a hilarious discussion on the internet: 'I just don't like to get it warm' Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra serve couple goals ever since they tied the knot in 2018. Till date, their PDA displayed online through pictures with other's post is adorable for fans. As Nick and PC have always opened up about their bonding or rituals together, in a recent chat, Nick made a quirky confession which has sparked an unusual debate online. He revealed a bedtime routine with PC and said that he literally pulls a chair next to Priyanka while she's watching TV in bed as they see something together but doesn't like to be in bed while watching it. 'Coolie' box office collection Day 7: Rajinikanth starrer secures win over 'War 2'; ends week 1 with Rs 222.5 crore haul Rajinikanth's 'Coolie' has wrapped up its first week at the box office on a strong note, collecting an estimated Rs 222.5 crore net in India. Despite facing weekday dips, the film has reaffirmed the superstar's dominance at the ticket window. 'War 2' box office collection day 7: The Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR film misses the Rs 200 crore mark on Wednesday, drops further 'War 2' which released in cinemas on August 14 was one of the most anticipated movies of the year. Infact, it was one of the biggest movie clashes as it released with Rajinikanth starrer 'Coolie'. The Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR, Kiara Advani movie did start on a grand note on day 1 and also kept the momentum on Independence day but the movie started seeing a drop from Saturday onwards. It still managed to make a decent number on Saturday, Sunday, but from Monday onwards the fall was huge. It saw a drop of around 73 percent on first Monday, as compared to the Sunday numbers. The Ayan Mukerji directorial had found itself amidst mixed reviews which may have led to the downfall of numbers. "Get the latest updates on Times of India, including reviews of the movie Coolie and War 2 ."
