Anu Malik

Born on 2nd November, 1960, Anu Malik is the son of veteran music composer Sardar Malik. He is known for belting one hit after another in bollywood films. He has given long list of hit music in numerous Hindi movies. He is one of the few music directors from india who has worked in crossover films and his song has also been included in foreign movies. He has worked in Bride and Prejudice and his song ‘Chamma Chamma’ from the movie ‘China Gate’ was included in the famous English movie Moulin Rouge. Anu Malik Debuted in 1981 with a movie named Poonam. That was followed by some hit movies like ‘Sohni Mahiwal’, Mard, Jaal, Mujrim and Ganga Jamuna Saraswati. Yet he had to wait for some time before he could make it to big league.

Anu Malik’s moment of truth came in 1993 with the movie Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Ayee. That brought him huge success and recognition. This hit movie was further followed by several hits including Jaanam, Sir, and Baazigar. He had made it to the top league. He also experimented with different kind of music in movies like Border, Aks, Fiza, and Mujhe Kuch Kehena hai. He has also launched few private albums.

To his credit, Anu Malik has won several awards including The National Film Award for Best Music Direction for the film Refugee in 2001. He has also won Filmfare Best Music Director two times for Baazigar (1993) and Main Hoon Na (2004) and Baazigar (1993). He further got the Special Jury Award (Filmfare) for his outstanding contribution in music.

Some of his recent releases were Kambakkht ishq, Ugly Aur Pagli, Toonpur Ka Superhero, Victory, 7 Days in Slow Motion and Maan Gaye Mughall-E-Azam.

Ananda Shankar

Born on 11th December 1942 in the Almora, Uttar Pradesh, Ananda Shankar is renowned in the amazing world of Indian music. Music ran in his blood as can be made out from his relationship with legendary sitarist Pandit Ravi Shankar. He was nephew of the great musician and his parents were Amala and Uday Shankar, famous classical dancers. What brought him fame was his expertise at mixing eastern music styles with western music. His popularity can be gauged from the fact that he worked with several great music personalities including Jimi Hendrix.

He learned instrument from Dr Lalmani Misra of Varanasi. He brought fame to country and himself when he started to travel to western countries in late 1960s. His first album was released in 1970. The album was success because of its unique mixture of Indian classical compositions and sitar based popular western hit songs. His return to India after the huge success of his first album saw him experimenting with music even more vigorously. His next album was ‘Ananda Shankar And His Music’ that again proved to be runaway hit both critically and commercially. The USP of his album was mixing the sounds of an array of instruments including guitar, table, drums, sitar, mridangam and moog synthesizers.

1990s witnessed a complete new avatar of Sharma’s music. His music became a big hit in nightclubs of London. He kept reinventing and experimenting with music and made tours to different countries. Ananda Sharma died on 26 March 1999 but his contribution will always be remembered.