DJ Karun Mahatani Cafe Plays Photo Credit next to a coffee machine in Manena: Special arrangement
“Chennai is boring,” declares Karun B as we try to find some quiet corners in celebrating Cafe on 9 March. It is 2.30 on Sunday afternoon and Chennai looks particularly warm. Nevertheless, sweat rarely disrupts stretch in this cafe in Anna Nagar which is hosting the second edition of its coffee shop Rev. DJ Karun Mathni Paigi is playing the role of Gau’s ‘Nanana’ and a crowd has gathered around the DJ Console installed next to the coffee shop’s impeccable Sanremo F18 coffee machine.
As the beat falls, Karun and I flow involuntarily despite being in the middle of an interview. Since 1 o’clock in the afternoon, this coffee shop has completely become swadded in beauty Instagram pink and white, turning into a club. Instead of a drink, we are taking a dip on iced coffee and cold brow.
“Chennai is boring but we want to change things. The thing is that people want to do something different. I do not drink or smoke, but I enjoy meeting and meet new people. There are no such routes in the city. That is when such a gambling is used in the coffee shop, ”he says. Karun says that “we” because his elder brother Kavin (founder, Nama.Nt) was the first DJ in the city to play Ephro House music in the first edition of Coffee Shop Rev in the city in Manana Mahana.
DJ Kavin plays for the crowd. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“I was in London last year and saw a large crowd outside a bagel shop. I decided to go inside and decided to catch a set by a DJ there. I knew that Chennai needed it, ”he says. Trisha Jain, owner of Cafe Manana, says that she immediately bought in the idea. “When we started excluding the positions of the incident, there was a slow reaction in the beginning. However, the invitation broadcast quickly over the last few days. We refused to enter many people on 8 February, ”she says. The videos of the incident were going viral and there was a flood with Trisha requests. The second version, therefore, came quickly.
Today, there are three DJs, entry is set to ₹ 1,500 including food and drinks. The crowd attracts most people born after millennium, wearing sunglasses and bubbing to set a similar set for the boiler room (underground dance music events) that we see online by famous artists. I collectively sips Mango-Pasianfruit Cold Brow as Pines singing Gote’s ‘someone who knew someone I knew’. The melodic song released in 2011 is a Xylophonic beat and interlude that lend themselves in techno versions. Quickly, a ‘unheard’ beat ends and the crowd loses itself. Everyone jumps and raises hands. The party is now running for a few hours, but it is not going to stop soon.
Crowd around food and drink. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
As I take a break from observing on the floor, I hang Ramia Mary Varghese and her husband Robin Babu in the periphery, take it all in. Couples often go to celebrate for their coffee. When he saw the flyers for the event, he decided to leave his child at home with a grandmother and danced away in the afternoon. “We have been out of the party scene for some time because we have a child. Such a cool party means that we meet to catch with all, ”Ramia says. Robin said, “This is our time”.
Trisha says Sobar parties are handling. In Chennai, youth want to step out and want to meet new people, but do not necessarily drink. “Why do you think Anna Nagar has a crowd on the streets of food till 3 pm on Tuesday night,” she asks. Karun says that while music is a very big draw, the idea of a place to say hello to new people is very big. “We all have tags. It helps, “he says. Karun Run Clock, a Run Club, which is running together, drinking coffee and networking and later during the creation of friends. Brothers are planning to have a run and a hurdle at the end of this month and are excited to see how many twisted.
Crowd on dance floor | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Trisha imagines the creation of a community that not only listens to stale coffee shop jazz and set pop playlist cover that plays in cafes. She wants to handle new sounds during her inclusion. This is why she considers it as a monthly event. She says, “I want your uncle and aunt to come and dance on this rave.”
As Kavin took over the console to play the house music, an elderly couple in a saree and a collar shirt and pants on the first floor of the cafe, leaving out. They stop at the entrance of the incident and get out of curiosity. I ask if they want to see. “This is very dark for us. We cannot see our move. But perhaps next time, “the woman looks at her husband. “Next time,” he shakes his head.
Published – March 12, 2025 05:09 pm IST
