Sulaiman Merchant

Biography:

Sulaiman Merchant, born on December 21, 1970, in Mumbai, is an Indian music composer who, along with his brother Salim, forms the acclaimed duo Salim–Sulaiman. They are renowned for their work in Hindi cinema and were influenced by their father, Sadruddin Merchant, who led the Ismaili Scouts Orchestra in India. Sulaiman, deeply rooted in a musical family, received tabla training from maestros like Taufiq Qureshi and Ustad Zakir Hussain.

The duo gained significant recognition with their score for Bhoot, and over the past decade, they have contributed music to films such as Neal ‘n’ Nikki, Chak De! India, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, and Fashion. They have also composed for various Indi-pop artists, including Viva, Aasmaan, and Shweta Shetty, and have created music for TV commercials and collaborated with artists like K.S. Chithra and Ustad Sultan Khan. Their work has included major collaborations with renowned producers and directors like Yash Chopra, Subhash Ghai, and Ram Gopal Varma, with notable acclaim for their soundtrack in Kaal.

In addition to their film work, Salim Merchant served as a judge on the fifth season of Indian Idol on Sony Entertainment Television. The duo has also worked on Bollywood remixes of Lady Gaga’s Born This Way and Judas, and Enrique Iglesias’ I’m A Freak. They contributed two tracks to the Hollywood film Sold and released a Gandhi Jayanti single with Ricky Kej during the 2020 lockdown. They continue to produce tracks with various indie artists, including Shivansh Jindal.