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Salim–Sulaiman is an Indian score composer duo consisting of siblings Salim Merchant and Sulaiman Merchant. The duo compose music predominantly for Hindi films.

Quick Facts Background information, Origin ...
Salim–Sulaiman
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Salim–Sulaiman at the inaugural press meet of MTV's Super Fight League season 2
Background information
OriginMumbai, Maharashtra, India
Genres
Occupation(s)score composer, music director
Instruments
Years active1993–present
Websitesalimsulaiman.com
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Life and early career

Salim–Sulaiman's ancestral town is Mundra, Kutch, Gujarat.[1] They were born in Mumbai.[1] Salim Merchant was born on 3 March 1974 and Sulaiman Merchant was born on 21 December 1970.[2] They were inspired by their father Sadruddin Merchant, who used to lead Ismaili Scouts Orchestra in India.[3] Steeped in a family tradition of music as the sons of composer and veteran of the film industry Sadruddin Merchant, Salim mastered the piano on at the Trinity College of Music in London while Sulaiman took up tabla training with such legends as Taufiq Qureshi and Ustad Zakir Hussain.[4] Six years after their first music composition for a Bollywood film, they received acclaim for the film score of Bhoot.

Salim and Sulaiman have been composing music for over a decade having scored for movies such as Neal 'n' Nikki, Chak De! India, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and Fashion. The duo had also composed for many Indi-pop performers including Viva, Aasmaan, Shweta Shetty, Jasmine and Style Bhai among others, composed and produced several TV commercials and collaborated with artistes such as K. S. Chithra, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Ustad Sultan Khan, Ayisha Abdul Basith.[5] After that, they have gone to do movies with well-known producers and directors like Yash Chopra, Subhash Ghai and Ram Gopal Varma. They were predominantly composing background scores for movies, until the Karan Johar-Shah Rukh Khan production Kaal, for which their song compositions received acclaim.

Salim Merchant was one of the three judges for the fifth season of Indian Idol on Sony Entertainment Television (India).[6]

They have worked on a hollywood remix for Lady Gaga's songs Born This Way and Judas.[7][8] They also worked on I'm A Freak By Enrique. The duo did two songs for the Hollywood film Sold.[9] During the 2020 lockdown Salim–Sulaiman released Gandhi Jayanti single with Ricky Kej.[10][11] The duo have produced various tracks in collaboration with a number of indie artists including Shivansh Jindal.[12]

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2010 FIFA World Cup

The musical duo collaborated with South African singer Loyiso Bala and Kenyan singer and songwriter Eric Wainaina to record the anthem for 2010 FIFA World Cup. The anthem is the song "Africa – You're A Star".[13][4]

Indian Idol

Salim Merchant was a judge along with Anu Malik and Sunidhi Chauhan in season 5 and season 6 of Indian Idol. Salim has judged the second season of Indian Idol Junior along with Vishal Dadlani and Sonakshi Sinha.

He was one among the four judges with Coach Shaan, Coach Benny, and Coach Neeti in the second season of The Voice India.

Awards

More information Award, Year ...
AwardYearResultAwarded forNominated work
Mirchi Music Awards2013WonIndie Pop Song of the YearCheene Re Mora Chain
Mirchi Music Awards2014NominatedChulein Aasman
Filmfare Awards2007WonFilmfare Award for Best Background ScoreKrrish
Apsara Awards2009NominatedApsara Award for Best Music DirectorRab Ne Bana Di Jodi
IIFA Awards2005WonIIFA Best Background Score AwardMujhse Shaadi Karogi
Star Screen Awards2003WonStar Screen Award for Best Background ScoreBhoot
Star Screen Awards2004WonStar Screen Award for Best Background ScoreDhoom
Zee Cine Awards2005WonZee Cine Award for Best Background ScoreAb Tak Chhappan
Daytime Emmy Awards2009NominatedDaytime Emmy Award For Outstanding Original Song in a Children's SeriesWonder Pets[14]
Syracuse International Film Festival Awards2008WonBest Music DirectorFashion
FHM (magazine) awards2007WonBest Dressed Music Composers
Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer2010NominatedBest Singer for Shukran Allah with Sonu NigamKurbaan
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Filmography as composers

For songs

For background score

Songs sung by Salim Merchant

More information Year, Songs ...
Year Songs Album Language Composer Lyricist Notes
2006 ''Aashayein'' Iqbal Hindi Salim–Sulaiman Irfan Siddique Sang the Chorus.[15]
2009 ''Shukran Allah'' Kurbaan Hindi Salim-Sulaiman Niranjan Iyengar
2009 "Khudaya Ve" Luck Hindi Salim-Sulaiman Shabbir Ahmed
2010 ''Aye Khuda'' Paathshaala Hindi Hanif Shaikh Hanif Shaikh
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Discography as composers

More information Year, Album ...
Year Album Artist(s) No. of songs Notes
1992 Ragga Ragga K.S.Chithra, Voodoo (rapper) 8 songs First Album
1995 Shweta – The New Album Shweta Shetty, Shantanu Mukherjee, Sagarika Mukherjee 8 songs Also known as Shweta – The New Album and other hits on Audio CD with the additional of 4 bonus tracks from 8 main tracks.
Dole Dole and Other Hits Suchitra Krishnamurthy 1 song
1996 Channel Hits Various 1 song
1998 Maa Sagarika, Shaan, Shweta Shetty, Suchitra Krishnamoorti and others
As mentioned on the back of the album cover
8+3 songs
(11 songs)
2000 Prema.com Various 1 song
2001 Bhoomi Zubeen Garg, Bhoomi, Ustad Sultan Khan and others 8 song
2020 Date Kar Le CarryMinati 1 Song [16]
2022 Tsunami Khesari Lal Yadav 1 Song [17]
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References

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