Salim Merchant

Biography:

Salim Merchant is an Indian music composer who, along with his brother Sulaiman, forms the acclaimed duo Salim–Sulaiman, known for their contributions to Hindi cinema. Born on March 3, 1974, in Mumbai, Salim was influenced by their father, Sadruddin Merchant, who led the Ismaili Scouts Orchestra in India.

Trained in piano at Trinity College of Music in London, Salim and Sulaiman have been composing film scores for over a decade. Their notable works include the soundtracks for Neal ‘n’ Nikki, Chak De! India, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, and Fashion. They have also composed for Indi-pop artists such as Viva, Aasmaan, and Shweta Shetty, and worked on various TV commercials and collaborations with artists like K.S. Chithra and Ustad Zakir Hussain.

The duo made a significant impact with their soundtrack for Karan Johar-Shah Rukh Khan’s Kaal. Salim Merchant was a judge on the fifth season of Indian Idol on Sony Entertainment Television. They have also ventured into international remixes, including Bollywood versions of Lady Gaga’s Born This Way and Judas, and Enrique Iglesias’ I’m A Freak. Their work on the Hollywood film Sold and the Gandhi Jayanti single with Ricky Kej during the 2020 lockdown highlights their diverse collaborations with indie artists such as Shivansh Jindal.