Salim–Sulaiman Explained

Salim–Sulaiman
Background:solo_singer
Origin:Mumbai, India
Occupation:score composer, music director
Years Active:1993–present
Associated Acts:KOKO

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

Life and early career

Salim–Sulaiman's ancestral town is Mundra, Kutch, Gujarat.[1] They were born in Mumbai. 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

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

Award Year Result Awarded for Nominated work
Indie Pop Song of the Year Cheene Re Mora Chain
Mirchi Music Awards Chulein Aasman
2007 Krrish
2009 Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi
2005 Mujhse Shaadi Karogi
2003 Star Screen Award for Best Background ScoreBhoot
2004 Star Screen Award for Best Background ScoreDhoom
2005Zee Cine Award for Best Background ScoreAb Tak Chhappan
2009 Wonder Pets[14]
Syracuse International Film Festival Awards 2008 Best Music Director Fashion
2007 Best Dressed Music Composers
2010 Kurbaan

Filmography as composers

For songs

For background score

Songs sung by Salim Merchant

YearSongsAlbumLanguageComposerLyricistNotes
2006''Aashayein''|Iqbal |Hindi|Salim–Sulaiman|Irfan Siddique|Sang the Chorus.[15] |-|2009|''Shukran Allah''KurbaanHindiSalim-SulaimanNiranjan Iyengar
2010''Aye Khuda'' |Paathshaala|Hindi|Hanif Shaikh|Hanif Shaikh||}

Discography as composers

YearAlbumArtist(s)No. of songsNotes
1992Ragga RaggaK.S.Chithra, Voodoo (rapper)8 songsFirst Album
1995Shweta – The New AlbumShweta Shetty, Shantanu Mukherjee, Sagarika Mukherjee8 songsAlso 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 HitsSuchitra Krishnamurthy1 song
1996Channel HitsVarious1 song
1998MaaSagarika, Shaan, Shweta Shetty, Suchitra Krishnamoorti and others
8+3 songs
(11 songs)
2000Prema.comVarious1 song
2001BhoomiZubeen Garg, Bhoomi, Ustad Sultan Khan and others8 song
2020Date Kar LeCarryMinati1 Song[16]
2022TsunamiKhesari Lal Yadav1 Song[17]

External links

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: Salim - Sulaiman. www.facebook.com.
  2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FscvJGdgZOM "Har Ghar Kucch Kehta Hai"
  3. Web site: The Ismaili: Scoring the sounds of Bollywood . 11 May 2011.
  4. Web site: It's merchant magic. www.iol.co.za.
  5. Web site: Composers Salim-Sulaiman team up with UAE singer for devotional track 'Salaam' .
  6. Web site: The Rise of Salim-Sulaiman. Passion For Cinema. 9 October 2010.
  7. Web site: Lady Gaga Goes Desi With Salim-Sulaiman Merchant. 13 April 2011.
  8. News: I was never a crazy fan of Gaga: Salim. https://web.archive.org/web/20130513064810/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-04-17/news-and-interviews/29427333_1_lady-gaga-desi-version-britney-spears . dead . 13 May 2013 . The Times of India. 17 April 2011.
  9. News: Sold's music is very different from the movie: Salim Merchant. 6 May 2016. radioandmusic.com.
  10. News: Salim-Sulaiman collaborate with Ricky Kej for Gandhi Jayanti . 2 April 2021 . The Times of India . 1 October 2020 . en.
  11. Web site: Lockdown Diaries: Salim Sulaiman release Gandhi Jayanti single with Grammy Award Winner and US Billboard #1 artist, Ricky Kej. www.flipsyde.live. 9 October 2020. Rozario . R. R. 9 October 2020.
  12. Web site: Music Directors Salim-Sulaiman Take A Chance With Young Indie Musician-Singer Shivansh Jindal And The Result Is Fabulous. flipsyde.live. 23 March 2021 . Rozario . R. R. 31 January 2021.
  13. News: Salim Sulaiman to perform at FIFA world cup. NDTV. 4 February 2021.
  14. News: Salim-Sulaiman nominated for Emmy. https://web.archive.org/web/20130513062949/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-05-22/news-interviews/28206010_1_western-ears-animal-salim . dead . 13 May 2013 . The Times of India. 22 May 2009.
  15. News: 2022-06-01 . 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 . 2023-08-19 . 0971-8257.
  16. Web site: 2020-10-28. YouTube star CarryMinati collaborates with Salim-Sulaiman for new song - OrissaPOST. 2021-06-16. Odisha News, Odisha Latest news, Odisha Daily - OrissaPOST. en-US. 5 May 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210505203143/https://www.orissapost.com/youtube-star-carryminati-collaborates-with-salim-sulaiman-for-new-song/. live.
  17. Web site: 2022-06-12 . Khesari lal Song: 'बवाल' करने के बाद अक्षरा सिंह संग खेसारी लाल यादव लेकर आए 'सुनामी', मच गई तबाही . 2022-06-12 . News18 हिंदी . hi.