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

Salim–Sulaiman
Salim–Sulaiman at the inaugural press meet of MTV's Super Fight League season 2
Salim–Sulaiman at the inaugural press meet of MTV's Super Fight League season 2
Background information
OriginMumbai, India
Genres
Occupation(s)score composer, music director
Instrument(s)
Years active1993–present
Websitesalimsulaiman.com

Life and early career edit

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 Bollywood 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]

2010 FIFA World Cup edit

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 edit

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 edit

Award Year Result Awarded for Nominated work
Mirchi Music Awards 2013 Won Indie Pop Song of the Year Cheene Re Mora Chain
Mirchi Music Awards 2014 Nominated Chulein Aasman
Filmfare Awards 2007 Won Filmfare Award for Best Background Score Krrish
Apsara Awards 2009 Nominated Apsara Award for Best Music Director Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi
IIFA Awards 2005 Won IIFA Best Background Score Award Mujhse Shaadi Karogi
Star Screen Awards 2003 Won Star Screen Award for Best Background Score Bhoot
Star Screen Awards 2004 Won Star Screen Award for Best Background Score Dhoom
Zee Cine Awards 2005 Won Zee Cine Award for Best Background Score Ab Tak Chhappan
Daytime Emmy Awards 2009 Nominated Daytime Emmy Award For Outstanding Original Song in a Children's Series Wonder Pets[14]
Syracuse International Film Festival Awards 2008 Won Best Music Director Fashion
FHM (magazine) awards 2007 Won Best Dressed Music Composers
Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer 2010 Nominated Best Singer for Shukran Allah with Sonu Nigam Kurbaan

Filmography as composers edit

For songs edit

For background score edit

Songs sung by Salim Merchant edit

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
2010 ''Aye Khuda'' Paathshaala Hindi Hanif Shaikh Hanif Shaikh

Discography as composers edit

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]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Salim - Sulaiman". www.facebook.com.
  2. ^ "Har Ghar Kucch Kehta Hai" - Episode 6–30 December 2013
  3. ^ "The Ismaili: Scoring the sounds of Bollywood". Retrieved 11 May 2011.
  4. ^ a b "It's merchant magic". www.iol.co.za.
  5. ^ https://www.khaleejtimes.com/entertainment/composers-salim-sulaiman-team-up-with-uae-singer-for-devotional-track-salaam-2
  6. ^ "The Rise of Salim-Sulaiman". Passion For Cinema. Retrieved 9 October 2010.
  7. ^ "Lady Gaga Goes Desi With Salim-Sulaiman Merchant". 13 April 2011.
  8. ^ "I was never a crazy fan of Gaga: Salim". The Times of India. 17 April 2011. Archived from the original on 13 May 2013.
  9. ^ "Sold's music is very different from the movie: Salim Merchant". radioandmusic.com. 6 May 2016.
  10. ^ "Salim-Sulaiman collaborate with Ricky Kej for Gandhi Jayanti". The Times of India. 1 October 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  11. ^ Rozario, R. R (9 October 2020). "Lockdown Diaries: Salim Sulaiman release Gandhi Jayanti single with Grammy Award Winner and US Billboard #1 artist, Ricky Kej". www.flipsyde.live. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  12. ^ Rozario, R. R (31 January 2021). "Music Directors Salim-Sulaiman Take A Chance With Young Indie Musician-Singer Shivansh Jindal And The Result Is Fabulous". flipsyde.live. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  13. ^ "Salim Sulaiman to perform at FIFA world cup". NDTV. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  14. ^ "Salim-Sulaiman nominated for Emmy". The Times of India. 22 May 2009. Archived from the original on 13 May 2013.
  15. ^ "Salim Merchant: KK was so secure as an artist, he insisted I sing the chorus of Aashayein instead of him -Exclusive!". The Times of India. 1 June 2022. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  16. ^ "YouTube star CarryMinati collaborates with Salim-Sulaiman for new song - OrissaPOST". Odisha News, Odisha Latest news, Odisha Daily - OrissaPOST. 28 October 2020. Archived from the original on 5 May 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  17. ^ "Khesari lal Song: 'बवाल' करने के बाद अक्षरा सिंह संग खेसारी लाल यादव लेकर आए 'सुनामी', मच गई तबाही". News18 हिंदी (in Hindi). 12 June 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2022.

External links edit