Mumbai, Mar 10 (IANS): Actor Ali Merchant, who has been part of popular television shows such as 'Saat Phere: Saloni Ka Safar' and 'Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai', has talked about balancing his two professions -- acting and DJing.

Asked how he manages the dual identity of being an actor and a DJ, Ali said: “Navigating between television, DJing, and acting posed initial challenges as I traditionally focused on one career at a time. Shifting from DJing to acting, I faced the stereotype of being too ‘cool’ for certain roles.”

“Overcoming this perception required substantial effort. However, after completing my first film and receiving positive feedback, it became evident that I am more than just a DJ -- people recognised my depth and acting skills," he added.

Ali acknowledged the importance of perception and added: “I've since worked on presenting an authentic and multifaceted image, ensuring that others see me accurately in both the DJ and acting realms.”

Talking about whether he has noticed a direct impact on his acting career due to the perception created by his DJing hobby, Ali said: “I've created two separate profiles -- one for acting and another for DJing and music. I started as an actor, and my main profile will be acting-oriented, while the other one will be DJ and music-oriented.”