Meet Zorawar Shukla | Actor & DJ

We had the good fortune of connecting with Zorawar Shukla and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Zorawar, what role has risk played in your life or career?
If you don’t take risks, you don’t succeed. My career has been based on taking risks. The decision to pursue artistic and creative endeavours in life is not an easy one. There is always an element of feeling like you won’t “make it”. Throughout my life I have faced risks and succeeded – I started the first reggae music group in India – Reggae Rajahs, I run a music festival which I grew from 500 to 5000 people – Goa Sunsplash, and now I own a DJ company that focuses on South Asian private events and weddings in California – Desi Beat Collective. All these endeavours came with an element of risk and it has been hugely rewarding to see them flourish. Perhaps the most risky thing I’ve done was leave India to pursue my acting dreams in Hollywood – a risk which I’m still waiting for to pay off!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
When I moved to Los Angeles four years ago from Mumbai to pursue acting, I knew that I had to have a “day job” or “side hustle”. Since I had been DJing since I was 18, that was a skill I was able to put to immediate use, performing at private events and weddings with the region’s number one DJ company. Three years later, with countless gigs under my belt, I decided to start my own business, Desi Beat Collective in partnership with the brand I had previously been working with. The biggest challenge I have faced have so far is getting the word out into the South Asian community and getting South Asian wedding planners to use my services rather than the 3-4 DJs that have been working with for years. The most important lesson I’m learning right now is patience – I’m so eager for this business to run, that I forget that it’s got to learn to crawl before that!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Gosh, LA is so amazing that it’s hard to narrow it down to a few experiences. I’ve been here four years but I feel like I keep discovering new things. Some of the things that would on our itinerary: a day trip to Laguna Beach, a show at Hollywood Bowl, a proper LA taco truck experience, a hike through the Griffith Park trail system, a DTLA warehouse party, a visit to Melrose Trading Post and the Wat Thai Food Court in the Valley.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I know it’s cliche, but I really couldn’t have got to where I am today without the support of my family and friends. I have such a strong network of people who have showered me with unwavering support throughout the years. Every time I hit a low or I doubt myself, someone appears to lift me up. If the people around me want me to succeed so badly, there’s truly nothing stopping me.

Website: https://www.desibeatcollective.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/desibeatcollective/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/desibeatcollective

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/desi-beat-collective-los-angeles

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DesiBeatCollective