Ali Merchant opens up about balancing two identities of being an actor, DJ

Mumbai, March 10 Actor Ali Merchant, who has been part of popular television shows such as 'Saat Phere: Saloni Ka Safar' and 'Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai', has talked about balancing his two professions -- acting and DJing.

Asked how he manages the dual identity of being an actor and a DJ, Ali said: “Navigating between television, DJing, and acting posed initial challenges as I traditionally focused on one career at a time. Shifting from DJing to acting, I faced the stereotype of being too ‘cool’ for certain roles.”

“Overcoming this perception required substantial effort. However, after completing my first film and receiving positive feedback, it became evident that I am more than just a DJ -- people recognised my depth and acting skills," he added.

Ali acknowledged the importance of perception and added: “I've since worked on presenting an authentic and multifaceted image, ensuring that others see me accurately in both the DJ and acting realms.”

Talking about whether he has noticed a direct impact on his acting career due to the perception created by his DJing hobby, Ali said: “I've created two separate profiles -- one for acting and another for DJing and music. I started as an actor, and my main profile will be acting-oriented, while the other one will be DJ and music-oriented.”