It started with a mashup. Now it’s a movement. Sushil Meena aka Trapperx — the DJ behind India’s Bollytech wave — has gone from viral edits to Times Square billboards, sharing stages with the likes of Shankar Mahadevan, Atif Aslam, Vishal-Sheykhar, Salim–Sulaiman, Sunidhi Chauhan, and Jubin Nautiyal, and collaborated with international labels Suave and SSL Europe, and filling dancefloors from Dubai to Australia. All of it, independently.
Fresh off a charged night in Hyderabad, Trapperx is still riding the energy. He warmly begins, “Hyderabad crowds really understand music — they come to feel every moment, not just party. High energy, loud singalongs, and a lot of emotion on the dancefloor. Hyderabad has this perfect balance of class and chaos. People here love good electronic music but are equally connected to OG Bollywood tracks, which makes performing here very special.”
That balance, as it turns out, is exactly what Bollytech thrives on. His sets are as well known for emotional highs as they are for drops, and certain tracks take on a life of their own in front of a live crowd. “Tracks that people have grown up with always create magic live. When thousands of people sing together, it stops feeling like a DJ set and becomes a shared memory. My track Kaho Na Kaho with a mashup of Black Dress by Anyma always hits differently in Hyderabad,” he reflects.
So what exactly is Bollytech, beyond the remixes and the mashups? For Trapperx, the answer goes deeper than genre. He notes, “Bollytech is about storytelling through sound. It’s taking the emotion of Indian music and blending it with the energy and culture of electronic music in an authentic way.”
The challenge, of course, lies in bridging two worlds that seem built for very different purposes — Bollywood’s nostalgia and techno’s raw kinetic force. His approach, he reflects, “The key is respecting both worlds equally. I always try to maintain the same energy between both the tracks and maintain a balance. I do not mix two tracks with different energies just to make the crowd dance.”
What makes his sound even more remarkable is its universality. Whether he’s playing a desi wedding or an international club, the connection holds. He expresses, “Emotion is universal. Even if someone doesn’t understand the language, they understand the feeling behind the music.”
That feeling has travelled far — and built something real, entirely on its own terms. Trapperx grew his audience without a label or major industry backing, navigating an era driven by algorithms on nothing but authentic connection. He adds, “It definitely takes longer, but it also gives you freedom. I’ve always focused more on building a real connection with listeners rather than chasing trends. I believe staying true to your art and to keep working hard always opens up opportunities for an individual.”
In the early days, the sound itself was met with skepticism. He continues, “In the beginning, a lot of people saw it as experimental. But once audiences started emotionally connecting with it on dancefloors around the world, the perception changed naturally.”
And those dancefloors have been in places few would have predicted. “Australia honestly surprised me a lot. Seeing non-desi crowds sing hooks or fully vibe to Indian melodies was a very special feeling to me,” he reflects.
Beyond music, Trapperx sees Bollytech growing into something larger — a cultural identity for a generation that straddles two worlds. “I think it already represents a generation that’s deeply connected to its roots while also growing up with global music culture,” he says.
As for what’s next, he keeps it focused and grounded. “A lot more music, more international shows, and pushing the sound into newer spaces. Right now the focus is just to keep evolving while staying authentic to the emotion behind the music,” he concludes.