Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Encyclopedia
Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy are an Indian musical trio consisting of Shankar Mahadevan
Shankar Mahadevan
Shankar Mahadevan is an Indian music composer and singer. He is a part of the Shankar Ehsaan Loy trio team that composes for Indian films and a playback singer.-Early life:...

, Ehsaan Noorani
Ehsaan Noorani
Ehsaan Noorani is the Ehsaan of the Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy trio which consist of Shankar Mahadevan, Loy Mendonsa and himself. He is a famous music composer and a guitarist. He was the guitarist for many music directors before he started composing music. Ehsaan has also studied music with Mr...

 and Loy Mendonsa
Loy Mendonsa
Loy Mendonsa is part of the Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy trio which consist of himself, Shankar Mahadevan and Ehsaan Noorani. Before becoming a music composer, he was a keyboard musician for famous music composers such as A. R. Rahman and Nadeem-Shravan...

. Record producers, musicians and multi-instrumentalists, they have composed music for over fifty soundtrack across four languages. Among the most critically acclaimed Indian musicians, the trio have won over twenty awards, including one National Film Award, three Filmfare Awards
Filmfare Awards
The Filmfare Awards are presented annually by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Hindi language film industry of India. The Filmfare ceremony is one of the oldest and most prominent film events given for Hindi films in India. The awards were...

, three IIFA Awards among several other awards and nominations. They are often referred to as "Amar Akbar Anthony
Amar Akbar Anthony
Amar Akbar Anthony is a 1977 Bollywood film about three brothers separated during their childhood who grew up in three homes, adopting three religions...

" of hindi film music by several, including eminent critic Rajeev Masand
Rajeev Masand
Rajeev Masand is an Indian film critic and entertainment reporter for CNN-IBN. Masand started his career as an entertainment correspondent at the young age of 16...

.

Shankar Mahadevan

Shankar Mahadevan was born and brought up in Chembur
Chembur
Chembur is a suburban neighbourhood in eastern Mumbai, India. It is 22 km from downtown Mumbai and 20 km from Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport...

, a suburb of Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...

, to a Tamil Iyer family from Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....

. He learned Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music is the Hindustani or North Indian style of Indian classical music found throughout the northern Indian subcontinent. The style is sometimes called North Indian Classical Music or Shāstriya Sangeet...

 and Carnatic music
Carnatic music
Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu...

 in his childhood and started playing the veena
Veena
Veena may refer to one of several Indian plucked instruments:With frets*Rudra veena, plucked string instrument used in Hindustani music*Saraswati veena, plucked string instrument used in Carnatic musicFretless...

 at the age of five. He studied under Srinivas Khale, a well-known Marathi music composer. He graduated in 1988 with a degree in Computer Science Engineering from Ramrao Adik Institute of Technology
Ramrao Adik Institute of Technology
Ramrao Adik Institute of Technology is a private engineering college in Nerul, Navi Mumbai, India. RAIT was established in 1983 and is part of the DY Patil Educational Academy. The college was founded in CBD Belapur in Navi Mumbai, and later moved to Nerul. RAIT is an unsubsidised, public A-graded...

 in Navi Mumbai
Navi Mumbai
Navi Mumbai is a Planned Satellite City on the west coast of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It was developed in 1972 as a twin city of Mumbai, and is the largest planned city on the planet, with under the jurisdiction of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation and a total area of . Navi Mumbai...

 under the auspices of Mumbai University. He worked as a software engineer on Oracle Version Six. He is the main vocalist of the trio.

Ehsaan Noorani

Ehsaan Noorani is the middle name of the trio. He is the lead guitarist. Ehsaan has studied music with Bismarck Rodrigues, an experienced guitar teacher from Mumbai. He provides the SEL brand an energetic burst that is often experienced in their on-stage performances. Ehsaan is the first Indian to have endorsed a signature line of Fender guitars, one of the largest and most reputed guitar manufacturers in the world.

Loy Mendonsa

Loy Mendonsa is the keyboardist. He played keyboard for famous music composers such as A. R. Rahman
A. R. Rahman
Allah Rakha Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and philanthropist. Described as the world's most prominent and prolific film composer by Time, his works are notable for integrating eastern classical music with electronic music sounds, world music genres and...

. His daughter, Alyssa Mendonsa
Alyssa Mendonsa
Alyssa Mendonsa in Delhi is an upcoming playback singer who has made her debut as a singer in the film Karthik Calling Karthik in which she sang Uff Teri Adaa....

, recently made her singing debut with the hit track "Uff Teri Adaa
Uff Teri Adaa
Uff Teri Adaa , is a 2010 hindi song from the movie Karthik Calling Karthik. The track is composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy with lyrics by Javed Akhtar.-Development:Uff Teri Adaa is a trippy techno song that envelops the folk roots...

" from the movie Karthik Calling Karthik.

Formation (1985-1997)

Shankar Ehsaan and Loy came up from the ranks of the non-film music scene, performing rock, blues, jazz and pop before entering the film music industry. Shankar Mahadevan
Shankar Mahadevan
Shankar Mahadevan is an Indian music composer and singer. He is a part of the Shankar Ehsaan Loy trio team that composes for Indian films and a playback singer.-Early life:...

, a software engineer, worked on Oracle Version Six and studied Western, Hindustani
Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music is the Hindustani or North Indian style of Indian classical music found throughout the northern Indian subcontinent. The style is sometimes called North Indian Classical Music or Shāstriya Sangeet...

 and Carnatic classical music. He made his debut with the 1985 Marathi film Vahinichi Maya. A leading playback singer with Pukar
Pukar (2000 film)
Pukar is a Hindi film directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and starring Anil Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit, Namrata Shirodkar, Danny Denzongpa and Om Puri. The film was critically acclaimed and a moderate success at the box office...

, Sapnay and Biwi No.1
Biwi No.1
Biwi No.1 is a 1999 Bollywood comedy film directed by David Dhawan. The film stars Salman Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Sushmita Sen, Anil Kapoor and Tabu. Saif Ali Khan has a special appearance in the film. It is remake of the 1995 Tamil film Sathi Leelavathi...

to his credit, he also composed "Breathless".

Ehsaan Noorani
Ehsaan Noorani
Ehsaan Noorani is the Ehsaan of the Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy trio which consist of Shankar Mahadevan, Loy Mendonsa and himself. He is a famous music composer and a guitarist. He was the guitarist for many music directors before he started composing music. Ehsaan has also studied music with Mr...

 studied music at the Musicians' Institute in Los Angeles and worked with the like of Ronnie Desai, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Kalyanji-Anandji  and Louis Banks. He composed Alien Desire, did several jingles and like Loy, was part of a blues-and-acid jazz band. Loy Mendonsa
Loy Mendonsa
Loy Mendonsa is part of the Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy trio which consist of himself, Shankar Mahadevan and Ehsaan Noorani. Before becoming a music composer, he was a keyboard musician for famous music composers such as A. R. Rahman and Nadeem-Shravan...

 is trained in Western classical and also learnt the rudiments of Indian classical music. He performed with several group bands, plays (Godspell
Godspell
Godspell is a musical by Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak. It opened off Broadway on May 17, 1971, and has played in various touring companies and revivals many times since, including a 2011 revival now playing on Broadway...

, West Side Story
West Side Story
West Side Story is an American musical with a script by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and choreographed by Jerome Robbins...

, Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Tim Rice. The musical started off as a rock opera concept recording before its first staging on Broadway in 1971...

) and composed jingles and signature tunes (Fauji
Fauji
Fauji was a TV series following the training of an Indian Army commando regiment that aired on India's national channel DD National in 1988. It was produced by New Film Addicts pvt ltd. Mr Milin Kapoor was a Director in this company.He was to play the main role of Lt...

, The World This Week).

Ehsaan was doing jingles and Loy was in Delhi before the union. Loy was writing for television then. The show Quiz Time was his first work and Siddharth Basu gave him his first break. Then he did Prannoy Roy
Prannoy Roy
Prannoy L Roy, Ph.D is an Indian journalist and media journalist. He is the founder and Executive Chairperson of New Delhi Television .-Early life:...

's The World This Week. A few more shows came along and he also did theatre and Shahrukh Khan
Shahrukh Khan
Shahrukh Khan , often credited as Shah Rukh Khan, is an Indian film actor, as well as a film producer and television host. Often referred to as "the King of Bollywood", Khan has acted in over 70 Hindi films....

's Fauji. Loy had also worked as keyboardist with A. R. Rahman
A. R. Rahman
Allah Rakha Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and philanthropist. Described as the world's most prominent and prolific film composer by Time, his works are notable for integrating eastern classical music with electronic music sounds, world music genres and...

 and Shankar had sung many famous tracks for him. In 1989, Ehsaan met Loy, who was working for Ranjit Barot
Ranjit Barot
Ranjit Barot is an Indian film score composer, music director, music arranger and singer. He is a long time associate of A. R. Rahman and has done music arrangements for him in many of his works....

, an ad film composer. From then on, they joined together and composed several ad jingles together. Later, Ehsaan and Loy met Shankar when he was roped in by Barot to sing for the Pepsi
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...

 ad directed by Mukul Anand. Since then, they started to compose for ads as a trio.

Early Years (1997-01)

Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy were to make their debut as composers in Mukul Anand's film Dus
Dus (1997 film)
Dus is a 1997 unfinished Bollywood action film directed by Mukul S. Anand, who died during filming, leaving the film incomplete. The film starred Sanjay Dutt, Salman Khan, Raveena Tandon and Shilpa Shetty. Vinod Khanna and Rahul Dev had supporting roles in the film.-Cast:*Sanjay Dutt .... Captain...

. Director Anand wanted Ehsaan to compose the music for the film, but he insisted that Shankar and Loy work with him and Anand agreed. The film remained incomplete after Anand's death, though the album was released later in 1999. After Dus, they had composed music for a couple of films like Rockford and Bhopal Express
Bhopal Express (film)
Bhopal Express is a 1999 Hindi film directed by Mahesh Mathai. The movie stars Kay Kay Menon, Naseeruddin Shah, Nethra Raghuraman, Zeenat Aman and Vijay Raaz. The story is penned by renowned ad film maker Prasoon Pandey and his brother Piyush Pandey...

, but all of them went unnoticed. Their entry to mainstream cinema was with Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Vidhu Vinod Chopra is an Indian director and producer. Chopra is the head of his own company, Vinod Chopra Productions, and is particularly known for producing the Munna Bhai films and 3 Idiots.-Early life:Born in a Punjabi family of Kashmir,...

's Mission Kashmir
Mission Kashmir
Mission Kashmir is a 2000 Bollywood film directed and produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra and starring Sanjay Dutt, Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta and Jackie Shroff as the main characters. Mission Kashmir follows the life and tragedy of a young boy named Altaaf after his entire family gets killed by...

, which was a musical hit and earned the trio a place in the Bollywood film industry. They also earned IIFA nominations for the same.

Dil Chahta Hai and Rise to fame (2001-04)

In 2001, they made their film debut in Tamil film industry, as Kamal Hassan signed them to compose for his trilingual Aalavandhan
Aalavandhan
Aalavandhan is a Indian Tamil Thriller film released in 2001. Directed by Suresh Krishna, it stars Kamal Haasan in a dual role, with Raveena Tandon and Manisha Koirala as his love interests. The film's soundtrack was composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and the background score by late Mahesh Mahadevan...

. The music sold well due to the hype surroudning the movie, though the movie itself was a dud in the box-office. The turning point of their career as music directors though, was Dil Chahta Hai
Dil Chahta Hai
Dil Chahta Hai is a 2001 Indian film starring Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Preity Zinta, Sonali Kulkarni, and Dimple Kapadia...

, which was the debut film of Farhan Akhtar
Farhan Akhtar
Farhan Akhtar is an Indian filmmaker, script writer, actor, playback singer, lyricist, film producer in Hindi cinema and a television host.His directorial debut Dil Chahta Hai won a National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi...

 as a director. Initially, A.R. Rahman was considered to do the music, but he backed out due to other assignments. Then the trio composed a title track for the film, which Farhan liked, and he signed them for the film. The film won wide critical acclaim and went on to attain cult status among audiences. This marked the beginning of the trio's friendship with Farhan Akhtar
Farhan Akhtar
Farhan Akhtar is an Indian filmmaker, script writer, actor, playback singer, lyricist, film producer in Hindi cinema and a television host.His directorial debut Dil Chahta Hai won a National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi...

 and long-term association with Excel Entertainments
Excel Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.
Excel Entertainment is an Indian film studio based in Mumbai. It was created by Farhan Akhtar, and Ritesh Sidhwani in 1999. The two have gone on to create several films under Excel's banner.-Farhan Akhtar:...

.

Post Dil Chahta Hai
Dil Chahta Hai
Dil Chahta Hai is a 2001 Indian film starring Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Preity Zinta, Sonali Kulkarni, and Dimple Kapadia...

, they composed music for several small budget films like Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai?
Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai?
Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai is a 2002 Bollywood film. It is essentially a Bollywood remake of the hit American movie American Pie.-Cast:*Prashant Chianani - Ranjit*Aamir Ali Malik - Rahul*Vaibhav Jalani - Bunty*Yash Pandit - Johnny...

, Nayee Padosan
Nayee Padosan
Nayee Padosan is a 2003 Bollywood film directed by cinematographer B.H. Tharun Kumar starring Mahek Chahal, Vikas Kalantri, Anuj Sawhney and Aslam Khan in lead roles.-Plot:...

and Ek Aur Ek Gyarah
Ek Aur Ek Gyarah
Ek Aur Ek Gyarah is an Indian film by comedic writer David Dhawan. This movie stars the comedic veterans Govinda and Sanjay Dutt.-Synopsis:...

, where all of them went unnoticed as all the movies were panned by the critics. They also had two big ventures, Honey Irani
Honey Irani
-Personal life and background:Honey Irani was born into a Zoroastrian family on January 17, 1950. She was married to Javed Akhtar. Although the marriage ended in divorce, it produced two children, son Farhan Akhtar and daughter Zoya Akhtar. Both her children are critically acclaimed Indian...

's Armaan
Armaan (2003 film)
Armaan is an Hindi Bollywood film starring Amitabh Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, Preity Zinta, Gracy Singh, and Randhir Kapoor. The film was screened at the Cannes Film Festival. This is the first time for Preity Zinta to play a vampish role. She received a Filmfare nomination for Best Villain.- Plot...

and Rohan Sippy
Rohan Sippy
Rohan Sippy is an Indian film director and producer who has directed three films: Kuch Naa Kaho , Bluffmaster! and Dum Maaro Dum . He is the son of Ramesh Sippy, the director of the Hindi blockbuster film Sholay, and grandson of producer G. P. Sippy...

's Kuch Naa Kaho
Kuch Naa Kaho
Kuch Naa Kaho is an Indian Bollywood movie, directed by Rohan Sippy, starring Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan and Arbaaz Khan...

, which yet again, failed to impress both critics and audiences – though their work in Armaan was lauded by critics.

Kal Ho Naa Ho and First National Award (2004-06)

Following Dil Chahta Hai, their next big venture was Dharma Productions
Dharma Productions
Dharma Productions Pvt. Ltd. is an Indian film company founded by Yash Johar in 1976.- Other projects :Dharma Productions and NDTV recently decided to jointly launch an entertainment television channel called NDTV Imagine.- Controversy :...

' Kal Ho Na Ho, directed by Nikhil Advani
Nikhil Advani
-Early life and background:Advani was born in Mumbai. His father has a Pharmaceutical business and his mother is an advertising professional.He studied at Green Lawns High School, Breach Candy, and later did his Masters in chemistry at St...

. The album broke all the previous records as a best-selling album. The music won many awards including the National Film Award for Best Music Direction
National Film Award for Best Music Direction
The National Film Award for Best Music Direction are given annually. In years 1994, 1995 and 2010, an award for Best Background Score was instituted by the Jury, which was won by Johnson and by Ilaiyaraaja . Ilaiyaraaja and A. R...

. Since then, they have frequently collaborated with Dharma Productions and its owner and director Karan Johar
Karan Johar
Karan Johar is an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter and Television host. He is the son of Hiroo Johar and Yash Johar. He is one of the most successful filmmakers in Bollywood. He is most known for directing and producing some of Bollywood's highest grossing films in India and the...

, including his next directorial effort Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna commonly known as KANK is a 2006 Bollywood film directed by Karan Johar and produced under the Dharma Productions banner...

, which broke the audio sales record of Kal Ho Na Ho.

The year 2005 saw them collaborate with Shaad Ali
Shaad Ali
-Early life:Shaad Ali was born to Muzaffar Ali and Subhashini Ali née Sehgal, an Indian politician and member of the Communist Party of India ). He is thus the grandson of Azad Hind Fauj commander Lakshmi Sahgal...

 for Bunty Aur Babli
Bunty Aur Babli
Bunty Aur Babli , released in 2005, is an Indian Bollywood film directed by Shaad Ali and starring Amitabh Bachchan, Rani Mukerji and Abhishek Bachchan. It was the first film to feature both Amitabh Bachchan and his son Abhishek Bachchan, and featured guest appearances by Aishwarya Rai and Tania...

, as his first choice, A.R. Rahman, was busy with other assignments. The soundtrack, despite the initial mixed reaction from various critics, became immensely popular among the public, and went on to win several awards including Filmfare and IIFA
IIFA Best Music Director Award
The IIFA Best Music Director Award is chosen by the viewers and the winner is announced at the actual ceremony.The winners are listed below: A.R.Rahman has the most awards with 6 wins.- See also :* IIFA Awards* Bollywood* Cinema of India...

 awards. The song "Kajra Re" featuring Aishwarya Rai
Aishwarya Rai
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is an Indian film actress. She worked as a model before starting her acting career, and ultimately won the Miss World pageant in 1994...

, Abhishek Bachchan
Abhishek Bachchan
Abhishek Bachchan is an Indian actor and producer. He is the son of Indian actors Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan and is married to actress and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai....

 and Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan is an Indian film actor. He first gained popularity in the early 1970s as the "angry young man" of Hindi cinema, and has since appeared in over 180 Indian films in a career spanning more than four decades...

 became a rage among the listeners.

Following the success of Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna commonly known as KANK is a 2006 Bollywood film directed by Karan Johar and produced under the Dharma Productions banner...

, their next album of 2006 was Farhan Akhtar
Farhan Akhtar
Farhan Akhtar is an Indian filmmaker, script writer, actor, playback singer, lyricist, film producer in Hindi cinema and a television host.His directorial debut Dil Chahta Hai won a National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi...

's Don: The Chase Begins Again starring Shahrukh Khan
Shahrukh Khan
Shahrukh Khan , often credited as Shah Rukh Khan, is an Indian film actor, as well as a film producer and television host. Often referred to as "the King of Bollywood", Khan has acted in over 70 Hindi films....

. They composed seven songs, including two versions of "Yeh Mera Dil" and "Khaike Paan Banaraswala", from the original Don
Don (1978 film)
Don is a 1978 Indian action film, produced by Nariman Irani and directed by Chandra Barot, with music by Kalyanji Anandji and lyrics by Anjaan. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Zeenat Aman, Pran, Iftekhar, Helen and Om Shivpuri, Satyen Kappu and Pinchoo Kapoor. It was the third-highest grossing...

. The track "Aaj Ki Raat
Aaj Ki Raat
Aaj Ki Raat is a 2006 Hindi song from the Bollywood film soundtrack for Don: The Chase Begins Again, a remake of the 1978 film Don. The track is composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy trio with lyrics penned by Javed Akhtar. The song was later used by A. R...

" was included in the Academy Award winning soundtrack
Academy Award for Best Original Score
The Academy Award for Original Score is presented to the best substantial body of music in the form of dramatic underscoring written specifically for the film by the submitting composer.-Superlatives:...

 Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire (soundtrack)
Slumdog Millionaire: Music from the Motion Picture is the soundtrack album of the British drama film Slumdog Millionaire, directed by Danny Boyle. The original score and songs were composed by A. R. Rahman, who planned the score in two months and completed it in two weeks, a far shorter time period...

.

Later Career (2007-Present)

2007 was arguably the best year of their career. The year started off with Nikhil Advani
Nikhil Advani
-Early life and background:Advani was born in Mumbai. His father has a Pharmaceutical business and his mother is an advertising professional.He studied at Green Lawns High School, Breach Candy, and later did his Masters in chemistry at St...

's multistarrer Salaam-e-Ishq, which was lauded by critics and music lovers alike, and went on to rule the music charts. The music was praised by the movie critics too, despite the movie itself receiving mixed to negative responses. Same was the fate of their next release, Jhoom Barabar Jhoom
Jhoom Barabar Jhoom
Jhoom Barabar Jhoom is a 2007 Bollywood film starring Abhishek Bachchan, Preity Zinta, Bobby Deol and Lara Dutta. It is directed by Shaad Ali. The film is produced by Aditya Chopra and Yash Chopra under Yash Raj Films...

. Despite the music getting positive reviews and music becoming quite a sensation among listeners, the movie failed to make a mark. However, this pattern was broken by their next release, Akshay Kumar
Akshay Kumar
Akshay Kumar is an Indian film actor, producer and martial artist who has appeared in over a hundred Hindi films. When he began his acting career in the 1990s, he primarily starred in action films and was particularly known for his appearances in feature films commonly called the "Khiladi series",...

's Heyy Babyy
Heyy Babyy
Heyy Babyy is a 2007 Hindi comedy film starring Akshay Kumar, Vidya Balan, Fardeen Khan, Riteish Deshmukh and Boman Irani. It is the first full-length feature film directed by Sajid Khan. It released on 24 August 2007 to a good response and was the seventh highest grossing Bollywood film of 2007...

, where both the movie and music was a commercial success.

In August, the album Johnny Gaddaar
Johnny Gaddaar (soundtrack)
Johnny Gaddaar is the soundtrack album to Sriram Raghavan's 2007 Hindi film Johnny Gaddaar, starring Neil Nitin Mukesh and Dharmendra. The film has fifteen songs and two remixes composed by Shankar Ehsaan Loy and Daniel B George , with lyrics by Jaideep Sahni...

 was released, which was co produced by the trio and Adlabs, first of its kind in the history of bollywood. Both the music and movie received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics.

Their year ended on a good note, as their last album of the year, Aamir Khan
Aamir Khan
Aamir Hussain Khan is an Indian film actor, director and producer who has established himself as one of the leading actors of Hindi cinema....

's Taare Zameen Par
Taare Zameen Par
Taare Zameen Par is a 2007 Bollywood drama film directed by Aamir Khan, written by Amole Gupte, and produced by Aamir Khan Productions. Gupte initially developed the idea with his wife Deepa Bhatia, who served as the film's editor...

, was well received by critics, and both movie and music got a cult status among the audience. Thus, a really good year for the trio came to an end, with most of the above albums making its way to the top 10 lists of all major websites.

In 2008. their major release was Rock On!! - which was a cult favorite and rage among the audience, and went on to become a huge commercial success, despite the initial cold reaction from the critics. Luck By Chance
Luck by Chance
Luck By Chance is a 2009 Indian drama film written and directed by Zoya Akhtar. Produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, the film stars Farhan Akhtar and Konkana Sen Sharma in the lead roles...

was their last album of 2008, which garnered positive reviews from both Indian and international critics alike.

In 2009 the scored music of Salman Khan
Salman Khan
Salman Khan is an Indian film actor. He has starred in more than 80 Hindi films.Khan, who made his acting debut with a minor role in the drama Biwi Ho To Aisi with Rekha in a lead role, had his first commercial success with the blockbuster Maine Pyar Kiya , for which he won a Filmfare Award for...

 and Ajay Devgan
Ajay Devgan
Ajay Devgan , born Vishal Veeru Devgan on 2 April 1969, is an Indian film actor, director, and producer.He made his film debut with Phool Aur Kaante in 1991 and received a Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut for his performance in the film and for which he won a Filmfare Best Debut Award...

 starrer London Dreams. Although the music received favorable reviews, the movie didn't fare well in the box office. They also composed the music of Ayan Mukherjee's debut film Wake Up Sid
Wake up Sid
Wake Up Sid is a 2009 Hindi romantic comedy film. It is directed by Ayan Mukerji, produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions, distributed by UTV Motion Pictures, and has visual effects by the Prime Focus Group...

starring Ranbir Kapoor
Ranbir Kapoor
Ranbir Kapoor is an Indian actor who appears in Bollywood movies.Making his acting debut in the 2007 film Saawariya, for which he won the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut, Kapoor went on to earn critical praise for his performance in Wake Up Sid...

 along with Amit Trivedi
Amit Trivedi
Amit Trivedi is an Indian film composer, musician, singer and lyricist, working in Bollywood. After working as a theater and jingle composer and composing for non-film albums, he debuted as a film composer in the 2008 Hindi film Aamir, and shot to fame in the Hindi film music scene with his...

. The music, especially the title track, topped charts.

Their first soundtrack of the 2010 was Shahrukh Khan
Shahrukh Khan
Shahrukh Khan , often credited as Shah Rukh Khan, is an Indian film actor, as well as a film producer and television host. Often referred to as "the King of Bollywood", Khan has acted in over 70 Hindi films....

 starrer My Name Is Khan
My Name is Khan
My Name Is Khan ; commonly referred to as MNIK, is a 2010 Bollywood film directed by Karan Johar, with a screenplay by Shibani Bathija, produced by Hiroo Yash Johar and Gauri Khan, and starring Shahrukh Khan and Kajol, who reunite after nine years...

. The soundtrack blends western bar blues and techno sounds with Indian classical styles such as Sufi
Sufi music
Sufi music is the devotional music of the Sufis, inspired by the works of Sufi poets, like Rumi, Hafiz, Bulleh Shah and Khwaja Ghulam Farid.Qawwali is the most well known form of Sufi music, common in India and Pakistan...

 and Hindustani
Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music is the Hindustani or North Indian style of Indian classical music found throughout the northern Indian subcontinent. The style is sometimes called North Indian Classical Music or Shāstriya Sangeet...

. The soundtrack was well received, and they bagged several awards including, Star Screen Award for Best Music Director, Big Star Award For Best Music, and IIFA Award for Best Background Score. This was followed by Farhan Akhtar
Farhan Akhtar
Farhan Akhtar is an Indian filmmaker, script writer, actor, playback singer, lyricist, film producer in Hindi cinema and a television host.His directorial debut Dil Chahta Hai won a National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi...

's Karthik Calling Karthik which despite getting mixed reviews from critics, went on to rule the charts. The track "Uff Teri Adaa
Uff Teri Adaa
Uff Teri Adaa , is a 2010 hindi song from the movie Karthik Calling Karthik. The track is composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy with lyrics by Javed Akhtar.-Development:Uff Teri Adaa is a trippy techno song that envelops the folk roots...

" marked the debut of Loy's daughter Alyssa Mendonsa
Alyssa Mendonsa
Alyssa Mendonsa in Delhi is an upcoming playback singer who has made her debut as a singer in the film Karthik Calling Karthik in which she sang Uff Teri Adaa....

 and created waves. The next major release of the year was Sajid Khan
Sajid Khan
Sajid Khan is a former Indian actor. He is the adopted son of Indian film producer Mehboob Khan, founder of Mehboob Studios, in India.-Career:...

's Housefull
Housefull (2010 film)
Housefull is a 2010 Bollywood comedy film directed by Sajid Khan, and starring Akshay Kumar as the protagonist and Deepika Padukone, Lara Dutta and Jiah Khan as the female leads. Ritesh Deshmukh, Arjun Rampal and Boman Irani also play important roles in the film, whilst Malaika Arora Khan and...

, which received generally favorable reviews from reviewers and the track "Oh Girl" crooned by Alyssa and Tarun Sagar topped the charts. Ali Zafar
Ali Zafar
Ali Zafar is a Pakistani musician, composer, song writer, singer, actor, painter and model, popular in Pakistan for his music, including his hit songs like "Channo", "Rangeen", "Chal Dil Merey", "Dekha", "Masty" and "Sajania"...

's Tere Bin Laden
Tere Bin Laden
Tere Bin Laden is a 2010 Bollywood satire film produced by Walkwater Media and written and directed by Abhishek Sharma. The film stars Pakistani pop singer Ali Zafar in the lead role as an ambitious young reporter, who, in his desperation to migrate to the U.S., makes a fake Osama bin Laden video...

then followed, of which the song "Ullu Da Pattha
Ullu Da Pattha
Ullu Da Pattha , is a song from the 2010 film Tere Bin Laden. The song is composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, with lyrics by Jaideep Sahni.-Overview:...

" became a rage. The phrase was hence used for the promotion of the movie. Final release of 2010, was Dharma
Dharma Productions
Dharma Productions Pvt. Ltd. is an Indian film company founded by Yash Johar in 1976.- Other projects :Dharma Productions and NDTV recently decided to jointly launch an entertainment television channel called NDTV Imagine.- Controversy :...

's We Are Family (2010 film)
We Are Family (2010 film)
We Are Family is a Hindi film directed by Siddharth Malhotra and produced by Karan Johar. The project features actors Kajol, Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Rampal in the lead roles, and is an official remake of the 1998 film Stepmom. It released worldwide on September 3, 2010, and a day before in India...

starring Kajol
Kajol
Kajol Devgn , better known as Kajol, is an Indian film actress appearing in Hindi films. She is regarded as one of India's most successful and talented female actors....

 and Kareena Kapoor
Kareena Kapoor
Kareena Kapoor , often informally referred to as Bebo, is an Indian actress who appears in Bollywood films. During her career, Kapoor has received six Filmfare Awards, among nine nominations, and has been noted for her performances in a range of film genres; these include her work from contemporary...

. The album received lukewarm response, and the movie didn't do well at the box office either.

2011 began with Nikhil Advani
Nikhil Advani
-Early life and background:Advani was born in Mumbai. His father has a Pharmaceutical business and his mother is an advertising professional.He studied at Green Lawns High School, Breach Candy, and later did his Masters in chemistry at St...

's Akshay Kumar
Akshay Kumar
Akshay Kumar is an Indian film actor, producer and martial artist who has appeared in over a hundred Hindi films. When he began his acting career in the 1990s, he primarily starred in action films and was particularly known for his appearances in feature films commonly called the "Khiladi series",...

 starrer Patiala House
Patiala House
Patiala House is a 2011 Hindi family drama / sports film directed by Nikhil Advani and starring Akshay Kumar and Anushka Sharma. British Asian Actor Armaan Kirmani also makes his debut in this film as Akshay's brother...

, which was well received by all mainstream critics, though the movie didn't quite get such an enthralling reception. The following release, Excel Entertainment
Excel Entertainment
Excel Entertainment is an Indian film studio based in Mumbai. It was created by Farhan Akhtar, and Ritesh Sidhwani in 1999. The two have gone on to create several films under Excel's banner.-Farhan Akhtar:...

's Game, was met with poor reviews. the movie itself was met with extremely negative reception from the critics and turned out to be a disaster at the box office. They also scored music for Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...

's maiden Indian venture, Zokkomon
Zokkomon
Zokkomon is 2011 Bollywood action film, co-produced by Walt Disney Pictures, written and directed by Satyajit Bhatkal. Starring Darsheel Safary from Taare Zameen Par in the leading role, Zokkomon is Disney's fourth involvment in a production for the Indian market Zokkomon is 2011 Bollywood action...

. The music and the movie failed to generate any positive buzz.

Their first international venture, the UK movie West is West
West Is West (soundtrack)
West is West: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack album to the 2011 British comedy film West Is West, directed by Andy DeEmmony and starring Aqib Khan and Om Puri. The original score and songs are composed by Shankar Ehsaan Loy and arranged by Rob Lane.-Development:The songs were...

, was released on February 18, 2011. The music was well received by almost all the reviewers, despite the movie itself receiving reviews ranging from mixed to positive.

Their latest release this year, Zoya Akhtar
Zoya Akhtar
Zoya Akhtar is a contemporary Indian film director. She made her debut as director with critically acclaimed Luck By Chance.-Personal life:Zoya Akhtar was born on January 9, 1974 in Bombay...

's multistarrer Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is a 2011 Bollywood coming-of-age film, directed by Zoya Akhtar and produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani of Excel Entertainment. The film features an ensemble cast including Hrithik Roshan as Arjun, Abhay Deol as Kabir and Farhan Akhtar as Imraan...

. The music was met with universal critical acclaim and opened well in the charts.

Other works

Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy have been involved in several projects aside from films. Ehsaan
Ehsaan Noorani
Ehsaan Noorani is the Ehsaan of the Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy trio which consist of Shankar Mahadevan, Loy Mendonsa and himself. He is a famous music composer and a guitarist. He was the guitarist for many music directors before he started composing music. Ehsaan has also studied music with Mr...

, Loy
Loy Mendonsa
Loy Mendonsa is part of the Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy trio which consist of himself, Shankar Mahadevan and Ehsaan Noorani. Before becoming a music composer, he was a keyboard musician for famous music composers such as A. R. Rahman and Nadeem-Shravan...

 and Farhad had formed the band Instant Karma
Instant Karma (band)
Instant Karma is an Indian band formed by Ehsaan Noorani, Loy Mendonsa and Farhad Wadia most popular for its albums Dance Masti and its sequels. According to them, "they do versions, not remixes"-History:...

, and they released redone versions of R D Burman and other composers over two albums in 2002. They have also composed music for several jingles, signature tunes for corporates including Reliance
Reliance Industries
Reliance Industries Limited is an Indian conglomerate company headquartered at Mumbai, India. The company operates through three business segments: petrochemicals, refining, and oil and gas, other segment of the company includes textile, retail business, special economic zone development and...

 and Aircel
Aircel
Aircel group is a mobile phone service provider in India. It offers both prepaid and postpaid GSM cellular phone coverage throughout India. The Aircel group is a joint venture between Maxis Communications Berhad of Malaysia and Sindya Securities & Investments Private Limited, whose current...

, and public awarness campaigns. In 2010, the troika wrote music for the first ever bollywood musical, Zangoora
Zangoora
Zangoora – The Gypsy Prince is the first Bollywood musical ever. It was premiered on September 23, 2010 at Nautanki Mahal of Kingdom of Dreams, Gurgaon . It stars Hussain Kuwajerwala, Gauhar Khan, Kashmira Irani and Sadanand Patil. A special preview was held on the inauguration of the Kingdom of...

.

In 2011, they composed the official anthem for ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, titled De Ghumaa Ke, which became quite popular among youths and cricket enthusiasts within days of its release.

In 2004, they performed for a concert organized by Indian Express held in celebration of the democracy of India
Indian Democracy
This article is about Indian politics, government and law and relation between them. This article deals with factors correlating the three with each other....

, which was also attended by Aamir Khan
Aamir Khan
Aamir Hussain Khan is an Indian film actor, director and producer who has established himself as one of the leading actors of Hindi cinema....

, Farhan Akhtar
Farhan Akhtar
Farhan Akhtar is an Indian filmmaker, script writer, actor, playback singer, lyricist, film producer in Hindi cinema and a television host.His directorial debut Dil Chahta Hai won a National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi...

 and other celebrities. They organized a concert at IFFI titled Salaam Boss (Salute to the Boss) in 2006 paying tribute to the legendary music composer R.D. Burman. Later in 2008, they performed for the Live Earth India Concert to help light homes with solar energy along with several other celebrities like Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as the founder, occasional rhythm guitarist, and lead singer of rock band Bon Jovi, which was named after him...

. They have also performed a worldwide tour in 2010, called Inspiration: Aman Ki Aasha tour
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy Inspiration: Aman Ki Aasha tour
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy Inspiration: Aman Ki Aasha tour is the first world tour by Indian musical trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.The tour started off on July 17, at the Izod Center in New Jersey. Gunjan lamba is the choreographer of the tour...

, which began in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The tour was a major success, garnering overwhelming response from the audience. They performed at UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 for the first time, in the Asia Rocks! concert at London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

's Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....

 in September 2011.

Frequent collaborators

Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy have composed for most of the films produced by Excel Entertainment, founded by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani
Ritesh Sidhwani
Ritesh Sidhwani is a Bollywood film producer, who founded a film production house under the banner of Excel Entertainment Pvt. Ltd...

. They have also associated frequently with Karan Johar's Dharma Productions. Other notable collaborations are with directors like Nikhil Advani
Nikhil Advani
-Early life and background:Advani was born in Mumbai. His father has a Pharmaceutical business and his mother is an advertising professional.He studied at Green Lawns High School, Breach Candy, and later did his Masters in chemistry at St...

, Shaad Ali
Shaad Ali
-Early life:Shaad Ali was born to Muzaffar Ali and Subhashini Ali née Sehgal, an Indian politician and member of the Communist Party of India ). He is thus the grandson of Azad Hind Fauj commander Lakshmi Sahgal...

, Sriram Raghavan
Sriram Raghavan
Sriram Raghavan is an Indian film director and screen writer. He is notable for producing a 45-minute documentary on Indian serial killer Raman Raghav and 2004 Hindi feature film Ek Hasina Thi produced by Ram Gopal Varma, starring Urmila Matondkar and Saif Ali Khan. His second feature film was...

 and Abhishek Kapoor
Abhishek Kapoor
Abhishek Kapoor is an Indian film actor, writer and director.He started his career as an actor in Uff!Yeh Mohabbat in 1996, opposite Twinkle Khanna, directed by Vipin Handa, and after two more films, he made his directorial début with Aryan in 2006, which despite getting him critical acclaim for...

.

Most of the lyrics for the songs composed by the trio are penned by Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar is a poet, lyricist and scriptwriter from India. Some of his most successful work was done in the late 1970s and 1980s with Salim Khan as half of the script-writing duo credited as Salim-Javed...

; however, they have also associated with lyricists like Gulzar, Sameer
Sameer (lyricist)
Sameer is an Indian lyricist,the main form of work undertaken by Sameer is for Indian songs in Hindi language films. His father is the famed Hindi lyricist, Anjaan . Since the beginning of his career, Sameer has penned around 4,000 songs in over 500 Hindi films and more than 130 songs in 23...

, and Prasoon Joshi
Prasoon Joshi
Prasoon Joshi is an Indian lyricist, screenwriter and advertising copywriter. A prolific Writer-Poet whose first book of 3 books "Main aur Woh" was published when he was 17 years of age, an internationally acclaimed Indian advertising professional, Bollywood film songwriter, as well as a...

.

Music style and impact

Each member of the trio brings his own talents and experiences to the group, combining the Carnatic
Carnatic music
Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu...

 and Hindustani vocal tradition (Shankar), Western rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...

 (Ehsaan) and a deep understanding of fusion including a virtual mastery over the electronic synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...

 (Loy). They continue a tradition quite common in Bollywood music, that of partnerships between music composers contributing and pooling their individual strengths, sometimes combining deep knowledge of Hindustani (North Indian) or Carnatic (South Indian) classical music and technical expertise as composers and orchestral arrangers. Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy probably represent the first trio of composers to entertain Bollywood audiences with their chart-topping music.

The eternal quest among Bollywood's music composers has been to create interest among younger audiences who tend to be inspired more by musical themes and influences from the West. Since a film's soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...

 is a very influential and critical component of commercial and critical success (required and achieved or sometimes squandered at the box office), this quest to "deliver a film" has always inspired composers to create tunes which combine the best of both traditional Indian music and popular Western or international influences. An overwhelming majority of Bollywood's most popular music has been composed based on classical Indian rāga
Raga
A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...

s (in Sanskrit "raga" is literally "colour" or "mood"). Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy have bridged that gap. Their success owes to several contributing factors, among which are the adoption of interesting musical instruments and sounds as part of their orchestral palette, introduction of new voices weaned on popular TV musical talent shows, and an obsession for the right musical 'feel' for the movie scene leading into a song sequence. The younger critics from Westernized, elite background, often cite the music of Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy and Rahman as they provide globally hip rather than Indian kitsch music.

Legacy

Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy are regarded as the most notable composers to have emerged from Indian film industry since A.R. Rahman revolutionized the scene. The Music Magazine described their album Dil Chahta Hai
Dil Chahta Hai (soundtrack)
-Won:* National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer - Udit Narayan for "Jaane Kyon"* Filmfare RD Burman Award for New Music Talent - Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy* Star Screen Award Best Music Director - Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy* Star Screen Award Best Lyricist - Javed Akhtar...

as an exotic concoction out of musical genres, and said it did what Rahman's Roja
Roja (soundtrack)
-Telugu:-Malayalam:-Hindi:-Marathi:-Instrumental adaptation:An instrumental adaptation album was also released. The album was released in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi.-External links:*...

did to the music scene nearly a decade ago and took it a step further.

Academy Award winning
Academy Award for Best Original Song
The Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given annually to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . It is presented to the songwriters who have composed the best original song written specifically for a film...

 lyricist Gulzar described the music of the trio as a sensible synthesis of popularity and class. Composer duo Vishal-Shekhar
Vishal-Shekhar
Vishal-Shekhar are a music directing duo for Hindi films and are among the leading music directors in the industry today...

 considers them as an inspiration. Upcoming musicians Arko Mukherjee, Rajkumar Sengupta and Debopratim Bakshi of the Friends of Fusion band from Kolkatta said "We have been influenced by Shankar Ehsaan Loy, so we mix our own elements to their composition. It’s our way of paying homage to them"

The trio is known for launching the career of numerous singers, including Mahalakshmi Iyer
Mahalakshmi Iyer
Mahalakshmi Iyer is an Indian playback singer, best known for her Hindi and Tamil songs. She has sung over a thousand songs in many Indian languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Assamese, Kannada and Malayalam.-Career:Mahalakshmi made her singing debut with Dus,...

, Anusha Mani
Anusha Mani
Anusha Mani is an Indian female playback singer who works actively in Bollywood film Industry.-Early life:Anusha hails from a musically-inclined family, and learnt Carnatic music from Smt Meera Nathan...

, Caralisa Monteiro
Caralisa Monteiro
Caralisa Monteiro is an Indian female playback singer, who primarily works in Bollywood film industry.-Early life:Caralisa hails from a middle class family in Mumbai. She had passion for singing since her childhood itself, and won several awards in college singing competitions...

, Dominique Cerejo
Dominique Cerejo
Dominique Cerejo is an Indian female playback singer best known for the song "Yeh Tumhari Meri Baatein" from Rock On!!. She has sung in over thirty bollywood soundtrack albums...

, Hard Kaur
Hard Kaur
Hard Kaur , also known as Hardkaur, is an Indian rapper and hip hop singer, as well as playback singer in Hindi films; she is the first female Indian rapper -Early life:...

 and Alyssa Mendonsa
Alyssa Mendonsa
Alyssa Mendonsa in Delhi is an upcoming playback singer who has made her debut as a singer in the film Karthik Calling Karthik in which she sang Uff Teri Adaa....

.

Awards

Shankar Ehsaan Loy were the recipients of several awards, including three Filmfare awards
Filmfare Awards
The Filmfare Awards are presented annually by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Hindi language film industry of India. The Filmfare ceremony is one of the oldest and most prominent film events given for Hindi films in India. The awards were...

 (Bunty Aur Babli, Kal Ho Naa Ho,Dil Chahta Hai), three International Indian Film Academy Awards
International Indian Film Academy Awards
The International Indian Film Academy Awards, also known as the IIFA Awards are presented annually by the International Indian Film Academy to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in Bollywood, the Hindi language film industry. Instituted in 2000, the ceremony is held in...

 (Kal Ho Naa Ho, Bunty Aur Babli, My Name is Khan), three Star Screen awards
Star Screen Award Best Music Director
The Star Screen Award Best Music Director is chosen by a panel of distinguished judges and the winner is announced in January. Frequent Winners include A.R.Rahman , Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy , Rajesh Roshan and Nadeem-Shravan . A.R.Rahman has won the award thrice in a row.-Winners:-See also:* Star Screen...

 (Dil Chahta Hai, Bunty Aur Babli,My Name Is Khan) and two MTV Immies Awards. In 2004, they received the National Film Award for Best Music Direction
National Film Award for Best Music Direction
The National Film Award for Best Music Direction are given annually. In years 1994, 1995 and 2010, an award for Best Background Score was instituted by the Jury, which was won by Johnson and by Ilaiyaraaja . Ilaiyaraaja and A. R...

 for the film Kal Ho Naa Ho.

In 2010, they were honored with the Years of Excellence at the Jack Daniel's
Jack Daniel's
Jack Daniel's is a brand of sour mash Tennessee whiskey that is among the world's best-selling liquors. It is known for its square bottles and black label. As of November, 2007, one blogger was claiming that it was the best-selling whiskey in the world. It is produced in Lynchburg, Tennessee by...

 Annual Rock Awards at Hard Rock Café
Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe is a chain of theme restaurants founded in 1971 by Americans Peter Morton & Isaac Tigrett. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and roll memorabilia, a tradition which expanded to others in the chain. In 2006, Hard Rock was sold to the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and...

, Mumbai.

Business

SEL co-produced the album Johnny Gaddaar
Johnny Gaddaar
Johnny Gaddaar , is a 2007 Indian crime thriller noir film written and directed by Sriram Raghavan; produced under the banner Adlabs...

, with Adlabs, first time ever in the history of Hindi film music. In 2010, they also launched their own record label, SEL Songs and an iPhone app, making them the first Hindi film composers to do so.

They provide celebrity endorsement for various brands, including Sennheiser
Sennheiser
Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG is a private German audio company specializing in the design and production of a wide range of both consumer and high fidelity products, including microphones, headphones, telephony accessories, and avionics headsets for consumer, professional, and business...

, Philips Consumer Lifestyle and Radio One 94.3 

Charitable causes

Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy have been involved in many charitable activities. The composed the music for an album Haath Se Haath Mila as the part of an AIDS Awarness campaign launched by BBC World Service Trust
BBC World Service Trust
The BBC World Service Trust is the BBC's international development charity, funded independently by external grants and voluntary contributions. The purpose of the organization is to use media and communication to reduce poverty and promote human rights...

 In 2007, they performed in Chennai for a concert organised by The Shakti Foundation - For the Physically Challenged to raise funds. Organized by Farhan Akhtar
Farhan Akhtar
Farhan Akhtar is an Indian filmmaker, script writer, actor, playback singer, lyricist, film producer in Hindi cinema and a television host.His directorial debut Dil Chahta Hai won a National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi...

, they lead the Rock concert for raising funds for a pediatric medical camp in Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....

 in 2008. They also launched the You Know You Can Rock Harder G3 Challenge talent hunt in search of the most talented rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...

 in the country in the same year. They had performed for a fund raising concert for the NGO Alert India which fights against leprosy in 2009.

Discography

  • Dus
    Dus (1997 film)
    Dus is a 1997 unfinished Bollywood action film directed by Mukul S. Anand, who died during filming, leaving the film incomplete. The film starred Sanjay Dutt, Salman Khan, Raveena Tandon and Shilpa Shetty. Vinod Khanna and Rahul Dev had supporting roles in the film.-Cast:*Sanjay Dutt .... Captain...

    (1997)
  • Mission Kashmir
    Mission Kashmir
    Mission Kashmir is a 2000 Bollywood film directed and produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra and starring Sanjay Dutt, Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta and Jackie Shroff as the main characters. Mission Kashmir follows the life and tragedy of a young boy named Altaaf after his entire family gets killed by...

    (2000)
  • Aalavandhan
    Aalavandhan
    Aalavandhan is a Indian Tamil Thriller film released in 2001. Directed by Suresh Krishna, it stars Kamal Haasan in a dual role, with Raveena Tandon and Manisha Koirala as his love interests. The film's soundtrack was composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and the background score by late Mahesh Mahadevan...

    (2001)
  • Dil Chahta Hai
    Dil Chahta Hai (soundtrack)
    -Won:* National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer - Udit Narayan for "Jaane Kyon"* Filmfare RD Burman Award for New Music Talent - Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy* Star Screen Award Best Music Director - Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy* Star Screen Award Best Lyricist - Javed Akhtar...

    (2001)
  • Kal Ho Naa Ho
    Kal Ho Naa Ho (soundtrack)
    Kal Ho Naa Ho is the soundtrack album to the 2003 Hindi film Kal Ho Naa Ho directed by Nikhil Advani, starring Shahrukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Preity Zinta. The soundtrack consists of seven tracks composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and was released on 27 September 2003 by Sony Music...

    (2003)
  • Lakshya
    Lakshya (soundtrack)
    Lakshya is the soundtrack album to the 2004 Hindi film Lakshya directed by Farhan Akhtar, starring Hrithik Roshan, Amitabh Bachchan and Preity Zinta. The soundtrack consists of eight tracks composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, with lyrics by Javed Akhtar....

    (2004)
  • Bunty Aur Babli
    Bunty Aur Babli (soundtrack)
    -Release History:The soundtrack was originally released by Yash Raj Music on 13 April 2005. The lead actors Abhishek Bachchan and Rani Mukherji danced to the tunes of the album.-Crticial Reception:...

    (2005)
  • Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna
    Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (soundtrack)
    Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna is the soundtrack album to the 2006 Bollywood film Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna directed by Karan Johar, starring Shahrukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukherji and Preity Zinta...

    (2006)
  • Don: The Chase Begins Again
    Don: The Chase Begins Again (soundtrack)
    -Release:The music was released on 26 August 2006 by T-Series, at the Inorbit Mall, Malad, Mumbai. Over 30000 people attended the function.RJ Harsh of Radio Mirchi was the host of the event. The programs started off by Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy singing Mourya Re, and gave a brief intro about the album...

    (2006)
  • Salaam-e-Ishq
    Salaam-e-Ishq (soundtrack)
    Salaam-e-Ishq is the soundtrack to the 2006 film Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute to Love. The music was released on December 2, 2006 on Grand Hyatt Mumbai by T-Series...

    (2007)
  • Jhoom Barabar Jhoom
    Jhoom Barabar Jhoom (soundtrack)
    Jhoom Barabar Jhoom is the soundtrack album to the 2007 film Jhoom Barabar Jhoom directed by Shaad Ali. The music and score is composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy while the lyrics are penned by Gulzar...

    (2007)
  • Heyy Babyy
    Heyy Babyy
    Heyy Babyy is a 2007 Hindi comedy film starring Akshay Kumar, Vidya Balan, Fardeen Khan, Riteish Deshmukh and Boman Irani. It is the first full-length feature film directed by Sajid Khan. It released on 24 August 2007 to a good response and was the seventh highest grossing Bollywood film of 2007...

    (2007)
  • Johnny Gaddaar
    Johnny Gaddaar (soundtrack)
    Johnny Gaddaar is the soundtrack album to Sriram Raghavan's 2007 Hindi film Johnny Gaddaar, starring Neil Nitin Mukesh and Dharmendra. The film has fifteen songs and two remixes composed by Shankar Ehsaan Loy and Daniel B George , with lyrics by Jaideep Sahni...

    (2007)
  • Taare Zameen Par
    Taare Zameen Par
    Taare Zameen Par is a 2007 Bollywood drama film directed by Aamir Khan, written by Amole Gupte, and produced by Aamir Khan Productions. Gupte initially developed the idea with his wife Deepa Bhatia, who served as the film's editor...

    (2007)
  • Rock On!!
    Rock on!! (soundtrack)
    Rock On!! is the soundtrack to the 2008 hindi film Rock On!! directed by Abhishek Kapoor, starring Farhan Akhtar. The original score and songs were composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. Lyrics of the songs are penned by Javed Akhtar....

    (2008)
  • Luck By Chance
    Luck by Chance (soundtrack)
    Luck By Chance is the soundtrack album to the 2008 film, Luck By Chance directed by Zoya Akhtar, starring Farhan Akhtar, Hrithik Roshan and Konkona Sen Sharma...

    (2008)
  • Wake up Sid
    Wake up Sid
    Wake Up Sid is a 2009 Hindi romantic comedy film. It is directed by Ayan Mukerji, produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions, distributed by UTV Motion Pictures, and has visual effects by the Prime Focus Group...

    (2009)
  • Konchem Ishtam Konchem Kashtam
    Konchem Ishtam Konchem Kashtam
    Konchem Ishtam Konchem Kashtam is a Telugu film directed by debutante Kishore Kumar Pardasani and starring Siddharth Narayan and Tamanna Bhatia in lead roles with Prakash Raj, Ramya Krishna, Brahmanandam in supporting roles, whilst the music was scored by critically acclaimed trio...

     Telugu
    (2009)
  • My Name Is Khan
    My Name is Khan
    My Name Is Khan ; commonly referred to as MNIK, is a 2010 Bollywood film directed by Karan Johar, with a screenplay by Shibani Bathija, produced by Hiroo Yash Johar and Gauri Khan, and starring Shahrukh Khan and Kajol, who reunite after nine years...

    (2010)
  • Karthik Calling Karthik
    Karthik Calling Karthik (soundtrack)
    Karthik Calling Karthik is the soundtrack album to the film of the same name. The soundtrack was composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy with lyrics penned by Javed Akhtar...

    (2010)
  • Housefull
    Housefull
    Housefull can refer to:* Housefull , a Hindi film starring Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone and Lara Dutta* Housefull , a Telugu film starring Vega Tamotia, Gowri Pandit and Vipin...

    (2010)
  • We Are Family
    We Are Family (2010 film)
    We Are Family is a Hindi film directed by Siddharth Malhotra and produced by Karan Johar. The project features actors Kajol, Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Rampal in the lead roles, and is an official remake of the 1998 film Stepmom. It released worldwide on September 3, 2010, and a day before in India...

    (2010)
  • Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
    Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (soundtrack)
    -Music Launch:The audio was released on June 3, 2011 by T-Series. The music launch took place on later on June 11 at a suburban mall in Mumbai. The launch witnessed a live concert by the cast of the movie - Katrina Kaif, Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Abhay Deol and Kalki Koechlin.The function...

    (2011)
  • Don 2 - The Chase Continues
    Don 2 - The Chase Continues
    Don 2 is an upcoming Indian action thriller film written and directed by Farhan Akhtar. It is a sequel to the 2006 film, Don: The Chase Begins Again. The film stars Shahrukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra in the lead roles and also Om Puri, Lara Dutta and Kunal Kapoor in supporting roles...

    (2011)

External links

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