Mumbai-based funk-nu disco duo, well known for their distinctly unique mash up of electro and funk with old school Harlem swing, consists of Imaad Shah (Bollywood actor Nasruddin Shah’s son) and Saba Azad. With scintillating live gigs at major festivals and soulful performances at underground parties, the duo present a pure and unpretentious love of music in their post-mod electro cabaret experience collection.

The duo also incorporates live guitars, synthesizers, vocals and vocoders to create a sound of their own. Shah first shot at electronica was in 2010 with his solo project, Madboy, while Azad lent her vocals to guitarist and Blue Frog co-founder Ashutosh Phatak’s The Petri Dish Project besides guesting with acts such as Blackstratblues. Shah toyed with the idea of a music project when he heard Saba sing. The duo joined in together and formed a band. Madboy/Mink is an extension of their solo outings.

In April 2016, Imaad dropped his debut EP aptly titled Boy, without his Mink in tow.

The duo were at a gig in Mumbai, where we caught up with them to know more about how the band came together, the music they make and the future of the band. Excerpts from the interview.

Can you tell us the story of how both of you came out?

Imaad: We met during a play that we were in, Saba was directing and I was acting in and because of the play we ended up spending a lot of time together. We started discussing music and our musical influences. Back then I was producing a lot of my own solo stuff at my parents studio, and I had heard Sabas voice (she’s a professional singer) she has sung with many other people too, her voice struck me as really really interesting. So I asked her to sing to one of my old solo songs and I really liked the way it sounded and before we knew it we were working together. Then we thought of making a band and so we started the band.

Saba: this was about 5 years back but the band started 3 years ago.

What influenced you to choose this genre of music that you are in right now?

Imaad: This genre was actually a product of all stuff that we have done in the last couple of years, 3 years to be specific and it’s come from various sources but in the end we like to think of it as our music. We want to create a sound which no one has ever done before. We are trying to create something which would come to be known the Mad Boy Mink sound of, and it’s work in progress.We have drawn from our musical influences to make something which is very ours.

What do you feel is the reaction of the crowd to your music?

Imaad: We think that they enjoy it, and we aren’t associated with EDM, we like to do more of electronic music, not the most banging EDM. Vastly live and vastly EDM too. We are striving to a sound which is more live and not very fashionable.

How did the name Mad Boy Mink come about?

Imaad: They are our two individual pet names. It’s just we’ve been using it as Mad Boy for many years, and infact we are going to put out an app very soon of Mad Boy.

Saba: People don’t really call us that unless they are fans who don’t know our names then they call us Mad Boy Mink. People sometimes ask, so you are Mad Boy Mink, so what is your name....

Apart from music what do you guys do?

Imaad: We have our own careers, were both actors, theatre directors, for the past two years though we haven’t been with theatre cause Mad Boy Mink took up all our time but now since the ball is rolling for our band we have gone back to theatre. We are trying to make a similar platform for all the things we do that is performance art, cinema and live music.

Sometime ago you’ll released a song called Sharabi, a Hindi song, so did you guys move into a new direction?

Imaad: There wasn’t any direction at all; Hindi is the language we speak. It’s unfortunate that every time one sings a Hindi song it is categorized as something commercial, Hindi is our language and music is what we do. I speak in Hindi and English at the same time, so I really don’t see any problem in that. I don’t understand why we have this segregation in our head. It’s only a piece of music and I think you should recognise a piece of music. The lyrics of the song just fit into the music, and the language barrier is something that we want to break, that song could just as well been in English. Hindi is a stigma that we want to break down; it shouldn’t only we associated with Bollywood. So many rock bands have been singing in Hindi, Avial sings in Malayalam. There is also a Marathi rock band too.

Have you’ll be approached by the Bollywood industry?

Imaad: We as Mad Boy Mink have done a song Calcutta kiss which is a slight change from we have earlier done. We want to work with directors we find interesting, as opposed to going all out. I’m a playback singer, I have already done a bunch of songs, so at the end of the day its music. There’s nothing like ‘oh that’s Bollywood’. You just move to the music, it’s just fun.

Since your dad is in the film industry have you ever thought of taking it up?

Imaad: No not really, I haven’t thought of that have acted before but I think of acting as a passion I am very selective about that and very minimal. Mostly because I was to make my own films and direct my own films, scoring films, making them and producing albums is what I do on an everyday basis. It’s my passion. Acting is very enjoyable but it’s something I would rather leave aside.

Saba: It’s in our DNA. You did not even comprehend what acting is, we come from both different families and we were both working when we started off.

Any new album coming out soon?

Imaad: Not soon but were working on an album that we will release later this year which we are working on. It’s a very ambitious project more that what we have already done. I’m also working on my solo work. It’s going to be a lot of work but it will be a steady output of music. Very interesting song writing. We are placing a lot of our eggs in that basket.

Saba: Imaad is also just released his new app and it’s also one the things to look out for besides his solo EP.

Imaad: There’s going to be a staggering lot of material released this year, and every three months you can expect something from Mad Boy Mink.

Interviewed by Verus Ferreira