Salim Sadruddin Moledina Merchant, better known as Salim Merchant, is an Indian singer, music director and composer. He creates music with his brother Sulaiman Merchant and the duo is known as Salim-Sulaiman. He mainly works in Bollywood. He came into limelight after scoring the music for the Bollywood film Bhoot.
Wiki/Biography
Salim Merchant was born on Sunday, March 3, 1974 in Mumbai (age 45 years 2019). His ancestral home is Mundra, Kutch, Gujarat. His zodiac sign is Pisces.
Salim Merchant Childhood Photos
He completed his education from St. Peter’s High School in Mumbai and went on to KC College for further graduation. Salim became interested in music at an early age. Because his father is a music director. After graduation, Salim studied piano at Trinity College of Music in London. Thereafter, he went to Delhi’s Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan to learn organ. His mentor was Ustad Sultan Khan.
appearance
Height (approximately): 5’10”
Hair color: black
Eye color: brown
family, caste and wife
Salem businessman was born into a Muslim family. His father Sadruddin Merchant was a music director. His father led the Ismaili Scout Orchestra of India. Salim is very close to her mother. He has a brother, Sulaiman Merchant, who is also a music director.
father of salem merchant
Salem businessman with his mother and brother
salem merchant and his brother
Salim’s husband, Jeanne Micheal Merchant, is a singer-songwriter. The couple has a daughter named Ayesha Merchant.
Salem businessman and his wife
Salem businessman and his daughter
Salem businessman with his wife and daughter
Profession
Salim started his career writing “songs” for television commercials. In the mid-1990s, he turned to pop music, producing albums for musicians such as Voodoo Rapper, Style Bhai, Shweta Shetty and Jasmine Bharucha. In 1997, he received his first Bollywood project, composing the “background score” for the film “Hameshaa”, along with his brother. He then composed the music for the film Ghaath. The duo shot to fame after they composed the music for the film Bhoot.
Salim Merchant performs live with his brother
He subsequently composed music and background scores for Bollywood films such as “Ab Tak Chhappan” (2004), “Mujhse Shaadi Karogi” (2004), “Dhoom” (2004), “Neal ‘N’ Nikki ” (2005), “Kaal” (2005), “Krrish” (2006) and “Fashion” (2008).
Salem businessman working in his studio
Apart from being a music composer, Salim is also a great singer and has sung many popular songs in Bollywood. In 2014, his song “Ishq Wala Love” from the movie “Student of the Year” became one of the biggest hits of the year.
He and his brother also created Bollywood remixes of Lady Gaga’s songs “Born This Way” and “Judas.” They composed Enrique’s song “I’m A Freak” and also composed the music for the Hollywood film “Sold”.
He served as a judge on the fifth and sixth seasons of the singing reality show Indian Idol. Salim also served as a judge on Indian Teen Idol Season 2 and The Voice India Season 2.
salem businessman as judge
dispute
In September 2019, Pakistani singer Farhan Saeed accused Salim Merchant of plagiarizing his song Roiyaan. He claimed that Salim’s song “Haareya” is a complete copy of his song “Roiyaan”. However, Salim said this was just a coincidence.
Awards
- The film “Bhoot” won the Star Silver Award for Best Background Score (2003)
- The movie “Dhoom” won the Star Silver Award for Best Background Music (2004)
- The film “Ab Tak Chhappan” won the Zee Cine Award for Best Background Score (2005)
- The film “Mujhse Shaadi Karogi” won the IIFA Award for Best Background Score (2005)
- FHM (Magazine) Best Dressed Music Composer Award (2007)
- The film “Krrish” won the Filmfare Award for Best Background Score (2007)
- Won the Best Music Director Award at the Syracuse International Film Festival for the film “Vogue” (2008)
- Mirchi Music Awards won Indie Pop Song of the Year (2013) for the song “Cheene Re Mora Chain”
favorite thing
- Food: Japanese food, grilled fish, butter chicken
- Movies: Ab Tak Chhappan (2004), The Fall (1994), Life is Beautiful (1997)
- Book: The Kite Runner by Khalid Hussain
- Restaurants: Kofuku Japanese (Mumbai), Tatami (Mumbai)
Facts/Trivia
- His hobbies include reading and playing Xbox.
- Saleem follows a non-vegetarian diet.
- He was often spotted drinking on different occasions.
- Among all his works list, his favorite one is “Yeh Honsla Kaise Jhuke” from the movie “Dor”.
- His surname was earlier “Moleidina” but his uncle later changed it to “Merchant” when he moved to Australia.
- His father, Sadruddin Merchant, a veteran of the Telugu film industry, moved to Mumbai in 1969 and started manufacturing musical instruments. His father played piano, saxophone, guitar and drums.
Salem businessman’s father plays piano
- His father was affectionately known as Muhammad Rafi of the Ismaili community.
- Even before his marriage, his wife Jeanne was a well-known figure in the Bombay jazz scene.
- Since 2013, Salim’s wife Jenny has been running a home-grown music academy for young children. Many celebrity children like Hrithik Roshan’s son Hrehaan, Farhan Akhtar’s daughter Akira, Ronit Rowe Ronit Roy’s daughter Aador learned music from her.
- In 2009, Salim and his brother Sulaiman Merchant won a Daytime Emmy Award (a U.S. Honor) nomination.
- In 2010, Salim Suleiman collaborated with South African singer Loyiso Bala and Kenyan singer Eric Winaina to record the World Cup theme song “Africa – You are the Star”. So far (2019), they are the only Indians to have recorded the FIFA World Cup anthem.
- In 2016, Salim collaborated with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan on the Qawwali project. The song was ‘Tumhe Dillagi’ which was widely appreciated by the audience.
- Salim Merchant is an avid dog lover and owner of two dogs: Cookie and Daisy.
Salem businessman and his pet dog Cookie
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education