{{Short description|Indian DJ}} {{BLP sources|date=March 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Use Indian English|date=January 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Nikhil Chinapa | image = Nikhil chinappa.jpg | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Kalengada Bhemaiah Chinapa | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1973|06|06}} | birth_place = Bangalore, Mysore State, India | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|df=yes|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date then birth date) --> | death_place = | death_cause = | other_names = | education = | alma_mater = B.M.S. Institute of Technology and Management,B.M.S. College of Engineering, Bangalore | occupation = VJ<br>DJ<br>Host | years_active = 1999–present | employer = | organization = | known_for = | notable_works = | style = | height = <!-- {{height|m=}} --> | television = | partner = | spouse = {{marriage|DJ Pearl|2006}} | children = 1 | parents = | relatives = | awards = | website = | signature = | signature_size = | signature_alt = | footnotes = }} '''Nikhil Chinapa''' (born 6 June 1973) is an Indian DJ, host and festival curator, often credited with popularizing EDM among the youth in India. He has been associated with MTV India since the late 1990s and has appeared in multiple television shows including ''Roadies'' and ''Splitsvilla''.<ref name="IMDb">{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0157814/|title=Nikhil Chinappa|website=IMDb}}</ref> He has been instrumental in popularizing DJing as a profession and leading the music scene at the Sunburn Festival in its early years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/entertainment/nikhil-chinapa-moves-on-from-sunburn-to-a-new-edm-festival/cid/249345|title=Nikhil Chinapa moves on from Sunburn to a new EDM festival|website=www.telegraphindia.com}}</ref>
==Early life == Chinapa was born in Bangalore. His father was a paratrooper in the Indian Army,<ref name=interview>{{cite web |url=http://www.dmcworld.net/features/nikhil-chinapa/ |title=Nikhil Chinapa |website=DMC World |type=interview |date=12 September 2012 }}</ref> and as a result he did his early education from different schools in India, including Begumpet's Hyderabad Public School, Hyderabad and Faust High School, Secundarabad, after which he studied in St. George High School Agra. He earned a degree in architecture from BMS College of Engineering in Bangalore with a thesis on the design of hospitals.<ref name=interview/> His interest in music grew during his college life when he used to do gigs as a DJ in parties to earn his pocket money.
==Personal life== Chinapa married his long-time girlfriend DJ Pearl Miglani in 2006 after a six-year-long relationship. In February 2018, they welcomed their daughter.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/roadies-nikhil-chinapa-turns-father-welcomes-a-baby-girl/articleshow/63067011.cms |title=Roadies' Nikhil Chinapa becomes a father to baby girl |newspaper=Times of India |date=25 February 2018 }}</ref>
Chinapa is also a keen scuba diver, and loves exploring oceans around the world.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://maldives.net.mv/977/99-greater-than-100/|title=99 > 100: A True Story – Maldives Insider|date=23 May 2011 |language=en-US|access-date=2024-05-25}}</ref>
==Career== Chinapa's career as a television personality started when he won the MTV VJ Hunt in 1999.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiainfoline.com/article/news-business/vj-sunanda-and-gaelyn-mendonca-wins-idea-mtv-vj-hunt-113100901122_1.html|title=VJ Sunanda and Gaelyn Mendonca wins Idea MTV VJ Hunt!|website=www.indiainfoline.com}}</ref> Thereon he hosted MTV Select, a show which introduced popular music and bands from the various parts of the world.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scoopwhoop.com/nikhil-chinapa-the-coolest-mtv-vj-ever/|title=To Every 90s Kid, Nikhil Chinapa Made The Job Of A VJ Look Like The Coolest Thing Ever|first=Tatsam|last=Mukherjee|date=6 June 2017|website=ScoopWhoop}}</ref> In 2000 he debuted as an actor with the film ''Snip!''. Later, he hosted shows like ''India's Got Talent 2'' with Ayushmann Khurana and several seasons of ''MTV Splitsvilla''. He also judged shows like ''Rock On'', ''MTV Mashups'', ''Fame X'' and seasons 4, 5 and 7 of ''MTV Roadies''.<ref name="IMDb" /> Since the thirteenth season of Roadies, Chinapa has been playing the role of a gang leader in the show.
Chinapa co-founded Submerge in 2003 along with his wife Pearl and Hermit Sethi; it went on to be one of the largest EDM companies in India.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/submerge-to-launch-music-label-118111000251_1.html|title=Submerge to launch music label|date=10 November 2018|via=Business Standard}}</ref><ref name="sub">{{Cite web|url=https://www.submerge.in/about/|title=About|website=Submerge}}</ref> In 2007, he co-founded Sunburn, but parted ways with the franchise in 2013 due to internal issues and co-founded Vh1 Supersonic with his wife Pearl. It continues to be one of India's biggest dance music festivals.<ref name="sub"/>
==Filmography==
===Films=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Film <ref name="IMDb"/> ! Role |- |2000 |''Snip!'' | |- |2003 |''Pyaar Kiya Nahin Jaatha'' |Ravi S. Pillai |- |2006 |''Kudiyon Ka Hai Zamana'' | |- |2009 |''42 kms'' | |- |2011 |''Shaitan'' | Sandeep Srivastava |- |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Show <ref name="IMDb"/> ! Role |- |1999 |''MTV VJ Hunt'' |Contestant |- |1999-2000 | ''Hello Friends'' | Vikram and Akram |- |2000 |''MTV Select'' |Host |- |2009 |''MTV Rock On'' |Host |- |2009–2014 |''MTV Splitsvilla'' |Host |- |2010 |''India's Got Talent'' |Host |- |2017–present |''MTV Roadies'' |Gang Leader/Leader |- |2021 |''MTV Splitsvilla'' |Guest Presenter |}
==Discography==
*''Stop!'' ("Nachle - Remix") (2004) *''Salaam Namaste'' (Salaam Namaste (Dhol Mix)) (2005) along with DJ Naved Khan *''Dus'' (Z version, "Deedar De") (2005) *''Zinda'' (Writer: "Maula", "Maula - Remix", "Zinda Hoon Main", "Zinda Hoon Main - Remix") (2006) *''Shootout at Lokhandwala'' ("Unke Nashe Mein - Remix", "Aakhri Alvida - Remix") (2007) *''Om Shanti Om'' (Writer: "Dastaan-E-Om Shanti Om" (The Dark Side)) (2007) <ref name="IMDb"/>
== Accolades == {| class=wikitable ! Year ! Award ! Category ! Work ! Result ! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |- | 2003 | Indian Television Academy Awards | Best Anchor - Music/Film Based Show | ''MTV Fresh'' | {{won}} | <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gr8mag.com/posts.php?id=316|title=GR8! TV Magazine - THE INDIAN TELEVISION ACADEMY AWARDS, 2002|website=gr8mag.com|access-date=2019-09-25}}</ref> |}
==See also== *Sunburn Festival *List of MTV VJs
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Nikhil Chinapa}} * [https://nikhilchinapa.graphy.com/ Nikhil Chinapa's Online School] * {{IMDb name|id=0157814|name=Nikhil Chinapa}} * [https://www.submerge.in/about/ About page on the official website of Submerge, The Music company co-founded by Nikhil Chinapa]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chinapa, Nikhil}} Category:1973 births Category:21st-century Indian male actors Category:Living people Category:People from Bengaluru Category:Indian video jockeys Category:Indian game show hosts Category:Indian DJs Category:Festival directors