Ali Merchant reveals trollers shouted at him after he stopped playing music

On Wednesday a clip of reality show alum- DJ Ali Merchant hit social media, wherein Merchant stopped his gig as Azaan started playing in the vicinity. Merchant states that this is ‘the first time’ he did something like this. His slot started almost 30 minutes before Azaan. “It’s the time of Ramazan and it’s important to give respect to Azaan,” he shares.

Merchant reveals that when he stopped playing the music, “there were a few trollers” present in the crowd. “They were shouting that I was afraid and hence I stopped. To this, I replied I am only afraid of God. When I stopped the music everyone was shocked, people had no clue what was happening. From producers and organizers to everybody was shocked. But in the end, everybody valued and respected the fact,” he recalls. While he adds that stopping a gig during Azaan is a ‘personal choice’ he requests others to do this as ‘it shows a lot of respect for religion.’ “If this would have happened at the start of my journey I would have thought what will people say, what will they think. But now I am not afraid, anything which I feel is right I do,” he adds.

For his gig, Merchant says that there were almost four to five thousand people who all went mum when the Azaan was playing.

While observing the fast during Ramzan, Merchant continues to work. He calls these events “hectic and stressful”. He, however, reasons, “You need to balance both, respecting your religion and also the world where you work.” He reveals that he did his iftaari and drank water on the stage itself. “I am habitual in keeping fast during Ramzan since childhood. These childhood habits always helps me to keep everything smoothly going. The crowd in Pune was very understanding and very mature. They respect every possible religion which is very nice, “ he signs off.