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Anu Malik

Overview

Anu Malik (born 2 November 1960) is an Indian music composer, singer and lyricist primarily associated with Hindi cinema. Active since the late 1970s, he has composed soundtracks for a wide range of Bollywood films and is also known for his long stint as a judge on the television singing reality show Indian Idol.

Key Facts

Full name Anu Malik
Born 2 November 1960
Nationality Indian
Occupation Music director, singer, lyricist
Father Sardar Malik (composer)
Brother Daboo Malik (composer)
Industry Hindi film music (Bollywood)
Active since Late 1970s

Background

Anu Malik was born into a musical family. His father, Sardar Malik, was a Hindi film composer, which gave him an early grounding in film music. His younger brother, Daboo Malik, also works as a music composer in Hindi cinema. His daughter Anmol Malik is a singer and writer.

Career

Malik began composing for Hindi films in the late 1970s and early 1980s, working through the 1980s on a number of mid-budget productions before establishing himself as a leading composer in the 1990s. By the mid-1990s he was among the busiest music directors in the Hindi film industry, scoring films across genres including action, romance and comedy.

Notable film soundtracks

  • Baazigar (1993)
  • Main Khiladi Tu Anari (1994)
  • Akele Hum Akele Tum (1995)
  • Border (1997)
  • Refugee (2000)
  • Josh (2000)
  • Asoka (2001)
  • Filhaal (2002)
  • Main Hoon Na (2004)
  • Murder (2004)
  • Umrao Jaan (2006)

Awards

Malik received the National Film Award for Best Music Direction for Refugee (2000), directed by J. P. Dutta. He has also received Filmfare and other industry awards across his career.

Television

Malik served for several seasons as a judge on Indian Idol, the Indian version of the Idol singing competition format, broadcast on Sony Entertainment Television. The show contributed significantly to his public profile beyond film music.

Significance

Anu Malik is regarded as one of the most prolific Hindi film composers of the 1990s and 2000s. His output spans mainstream commercial film scores as well as ghazal- and classical-influenced work, and he has worked with most leading Hindi film playback singers of his era. Through his television appearances, he also became a familiar figure in Indian popular culture outside the film industry.

References