Music & Resilience — Hardik Vitlani on Ek Soch

Where It Began

Hardik did not grow up in a musical household. His father ran a metal business. His mother was a homemaker. The unspoken expectation, as in many Gujarati families, was that he would eventually join the family firm.

Goa changed that. At eight years old, playing percussion in his school band, Hardik discovered what he wanted his life to be. He was performing on Doordarshan while other children his age were watching it.

"Whatever you want to do in music, I am backing you." — His father's response that carried more weight than any inheritance.

The Education That Rewired Everything

Hardik travelled to Sheffield to study sound engineering — six months of entirely analog, craft-focused training. The foundation it gave him was technical and precise.

But it was a spontaneous trip to Ibiza with three friends, inspired by a documentary they watched on television, that truly shifted his direction. What he witnessed there — a single DJ commanding 20,000 people from behind a console — made his ambition concrete.

"He did not want to be hidden in a studio. He wanted to be the captain of the ship."

Six Years of No

Between 2007 and 2012, Hardik visited every major music company office in Mumbai, demos in hand. He sat at reception desks for seven to ten hours at a stretch, waiting for five minutes with someone who could say yes.

Nobody said yes. Films like Jannat and Awarapan came and went without his name attached.

"He was, by his own account, days away from walking away from music entirely — when his phone rang."

The Call That Changed Everything

In 2014, the team behind the film Main Tera Hero — starring Varun Dhawan — contacted Hardik directly and invited him to Film City. Varun Dhawan asked him personally if he wanted to remix a song called Besharmi Ki Height. The remix was released. It became a major success.

What followed was a career that opened up completely. Hardik credits Varun Dhawan directly for opening the door to Bollywood. His journey since has included:

• 88 Bollywood remixes, including Kala Chashma and Apna Time Aayega
• Work connected to the Raees soundtrack
• Performances at Filmfare and the World Economic Forum
• Events where Amitabh Bachchan and Sachin Tendulkar were in the room

The Skill That Actually Matters

Hardik is clear that the most important skill in his profession has nothing to do with equipment or technical ability. It is reading the crowd. Mumbai audiences respond differently from Chennai. Chennai is different from Chandigarh. Chandigarh is different from Kolkata. Every city requires preparation.

Every morning, before most people are awake, Hardik downloads whatever released overnight, listens through it, and files it away.

"The glamour of the profession is real — but so is the invisible daily labour behind it."

The Business of Music

Beyond live performance fees, Hardik described multiple income streams available to serious artists in the industry. His message to aspiring artists is clear: passion alone will not sustain a career. A business mind is not optional.

• Flat remix fees from music companies
• Streaming royalties from Spotify, JioSaavn, and similar platforms
• IPRS composer royalties
• Curated playlist commissions for private clients
• Sound equipment rental businesses and venue management contracts

The Chai Behind the Console

Hardik does not drink alcohol, does not smoke, and is vegetarian. In an industry built around late nights and open bars, he runs entirely on chai — to the point of having a chai cup tattooed on his hand.

When performing at a club in the United States with no access to Indian tea, the organiser drove to his own mother's house and returned with chai in a flask. Hardik played what he considers one of his best sets that night, sipping from a paper cup behind the console.

What He Tells Every Young Person

Hardik's advice to anyone considering a career in music comes down to three things:

• Discipline as a non-negotiable foundation
• Patience in an era where instant results feel expected
• Hard work that no amount of talent can replace

"You are always just one step away from success at the exact moment you feel like giving up."