Salil Chowdhury

Salil Chowdhury Biography

Salil Chowdhury is an Indian music composer who has mainly concentrated on Hindi, Bengali and Malayalam movies. He has done significant contribution to Indian cinema in the golden era of music. His music for Kerala’s first national award winning movie ‘Chemmeen’ is still considered the best music of the language even after 50 years. His best works of Bollywood include Parakh, Kanoon, Kabuliwalah, Anand, Do bheega zameen, Chaya, Half ticket, Lal Pathar, Mere Apne, Annadatha, Mrigaya, Rajnigantha and Madhumati of which works of Do bheeja zameen, Madhumathi and Parakh are considered the best. He belongs to the Bengali musical group of celebrities who has given significant contributions to Bollywood music. His best works of Malayalam include Chemmeen, Nellu, Madhanolsavam, Vasthuhara and Swapnam are considered the best. Lata Mangeshkar has sung one song for Malayalam in Salil Chowdhury’s composition – Kadali thenkadali of Nellu (literal meaning paddy/rice). Salil Chowdhury has done about 40 Bengali movies of which a few are still unreleased. His Bengali compositions include songs of Bari theka paliye, Proribarthon, Rai bahadur, Rickshahwalah, Bhor hoye elo, Ak din rather, Rai Bahadur, Ayanaanto, Pari, Kobita, Sister, Debika, Atharghat, Jibon and Lal Pathor. He has also done music contributions to Tamil cinema as well as Marathi, Asameese, Kannada and Gujarati.  

Salil Chowdhury debuted Bengali film music through Pariborthan in the year 1949. His Hindi debut was through Do Bheega Zameen, the classic black and white movie showing the miseries of common man. Actually, this movie was based on the short story written by Salil Chowdhury titled, ‘Rickshaw wala’. In 1964, he entered Malayalam movies through ‘Chemmeen’. The love that he got through Malayalam music lovers prompted him to stay here forever and gave the best. His best songs of Malayalam include all songs of Chemmeen, ‘Mazhavil kodi kaavadi’, ‘Maane maane’ and ‘Maathala poo poluru’ of Swapnam, Kadali of Nellu, Sandhye and Maada prave of Madanolsavam, Kiliye of Raasaleela and title song of Neela pon mane. He last composed for a Malayalam movie in the year 1995 – Thumboli Kadappuram.

His best songs of Hindi include Oh sajna of Parakh, Zindagi, Meine tere liye saat rang ke sapne and Kahi door jab of Anand, all songs of Do Bheega zameen and Madhumati. He has won Filmfare once for the magic numbers of Madhumathi including Aaja re pardesi and Suhana safar.

Published: N/A

Updated: June 16, 2013