Straight Dope

Dualist Inquiry aka Sahej Bakshi’s artistic journey takes a turn from peddling indietronic hits towards video production and a previously unheard sound.

- Kerry Harwin

Sitting in Sahej Bakshi’s home in South Delhi, I struggle to dismiss the feeling that everything about him seems just a bit too carefully crafted. Once touted as MissMalini’s “Hottie of the Day”, Bakshi’s life and musical career (as Dualist Inquiry) appear charmed from a distance: a lanky build, hair that seems to require constant brushing from his eyes, designer stubble, frequent appearances in denim campaigns. It’s just difficult to escape the feeling that Dualist – educated at The Doon School and the University of Southern California – has been ejected, fully formed, from the rock star machine.

For those who’ve paid even the smallest attention to electronic music in India over the past five years, Bakshi has become an inescapable presence. The 31-year-old’s brand of guitarled mellowtronica has succeeded in appealing to both club kids and rockers. In doing so, he’s built a previously unheard-of audience for Indian electronic music that, in contrast to acts like Midival Punditz, Nucleya or Su Real, rarely flirts with sounds traditionally associated with India.