Saregama India Ltd formerly known as The Gramophone Company of India Ltd., is an Indian music record label and content company headquartered in Kolkata, West Bengal. It is the oldest music label in India, established in 1901 as the Indian branch of the British Gramophone Company. It later became a part of EMI (Electric and Musical Industries), and for several decades, used the His Master's Voice (HMV) trademark on its releases. The first song recorded in India by Gauhar Jaan in 1902 and the first Hindi language film made in Bombay (Mumbai) with sound Alam Ara in 1931 were under the music label.
In 1985, the company was acquired by the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group. The HMV trademark continued to be used until 2003, when the licensing agreement with EMI ended. Saregama had distributed EMI's international releases in India.
The company is involved in music publishing, film production under the brand Yoodlee Films, and the creation of multi-language television content. It also manufactures and sells Carvaan, a digital audio player pre-loaded with classic Indian music.
Saregama is listed on the NSE and the BSE. Besides its head office in Kolkata, it has regional offices in Mumbai, Chennai, and Delhi.
History
In 1901, the company began operations as the first overseas branch of the Gramophone Company (later EMI from 1931), by recording the first song in India. It was incorporated in Calcutta (now Kolkata) as The Gramophone and Typewriter Ltd. The following year, Fred Gaisberg, assistant to gramophone record inventor Emile Berliner, arrived in India “on a mission to capture [its] music”. On 5 January 1902, Gauhar Jaan became the first Indian artist to be recorded. In 1907, a record manufacturing facility was established in Dum Dum, Calcutta — the first of its kind outside the United Kingdom.
On 13 August 1946, the company was incorporated as a private limited entity under the name The Gramophone Co. (India) Limited. It was converted into a public limited company on 28 October 1968, following which its name was changed to The Gramophone Company of India Limited.
From 1909 to 2003, the company retailed its music products—records, cassettes, and compact discs—under the His Master's Voice (HMV) brand, using the iconic logo of a dog named Nipper listening to a gramophone. Even after EMI sold the company to the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group in 1985, Saregama continued to use the HMV name and symbol under a licensing agreement. This arrangement ended in 2003, when EMI divested the rights to the HMV trademark to the British retailer of the same name.
Saregama owns a music repertoire that spans film and non-film music, including Carnatic, Hindustani classical, devotional, folk, and other genres, in over 23 Indian languages. The first song recorded in India—by Gauhar Jaan in 1902—and the soundtrack of the first Indian talkie film, Alam Ara (1931), were released under the label.
The company holds the rights to a growing number of films and over 6,000 hours of television content. It continues to expand its catalogue through new acquisitions across Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Punjabi, and other regional languages. Its music is distributed on music streaming services including Spotify, Gaana, YouTube Music, Hungama, Apple Music, and others; on over-the-top (OTT) video platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, JioHotstar, and ZEE5; and on social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.
As of 2024, Saregama's catalogue includes over 150,000 tracks. The company also holds the rights to the complete catalogue of M. S. Subbulakshmi, the first vocalist to receive the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour. Its catalogue includes devotional music across multiple faiths—such as Hindu, Sikh, Islamic, and Christian—as well as a diverse collection of regional folk music.
In 2023, the company launched Saregama Talent, a vertical focused on artist management and promotion. That same year, it acquired a majority stake in Pocket Aces Pictures Pvt. Ltd., a digital content and influencer marketing company behind brands like FilterCopy and Dice Media. Saregama also announced a plan to invest ₹1,000 crore over three years to acquire music content across multiple Indian languages.
Saregama Carvaan
Saregama Carvaan is a portable digital music player launched by Saregama in 2017. It comes pre-loaded with a curated collection of 5,000 Hindi film songs, classical music, and devotional tracks from the company's catalogue. The device features built-in speakers and also supports FM/AM radio, USB, and Bluetooth connectivity.
Variants of Carvaan have been introduced in multiple regional languages, including Punjabi, Tamil, Bengali, and Marathi. The company has also released specialised versions such as Carvaan GO—a personal audio player pre-loaded with 3,000 Hindi songs—and Carvaan Mini Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, which includes an audiobook of the 700 verses of the Bhagavad Gita along with devotional bhajans. In 2020, Saregama launched Carvaan Karaoke, which allows users to sing along with synchronised lyrics on a screen.
Yoodlee Films
Yoodlee Films is the film production division of Saregama India, launched in 2017 and based in Mumbai. The studio focuses on content-driven cinema across languages and formats, with a strategy centred on digital-first releases. As of 2024, Yoodlee Films has produced 30 films, several of which have been released on platforms such as Netflix, JioHotstar, and ZEE5.
Its film Hamid won two National Film Awards at the 66th National Film Awards, including Best Feature Film in Urdu and Best Child Artist for Talha Arshad Reshi. At the 67th National Film Awards, actor Naga Vishal received the award for Best Child Artist for his performance in K.D.. The studio's early releases like Ajji and Noblemen were also recognised at international film festivals.
Film discography Hindi films Year Film1981SilsilaUmrao JaanLaawarisArmaanSaath SaathBazaarJyotiEk Hi BhoolNamkeenChashme BuddoorDardYeh NazdeekiyanFiffty FifftyDo Dil Deewane1982Prem RogDisco DancerVidhaataMasoomBade Dil WalaNamak HalaalBemisalAngoorAndhaa KaanoonKaamchorHimmatwalaKhud-DaarSawaal1986IjaazatKarmaAmrit1988Ram LakhanVijayRukhsatParbat Ke Us Paar1989ChandniMaine Pyar KiyaJaadugar 1990s1990Lekin...HennaSailaabHumJeevan Ek SanghurshHaatim TaiDharm-Sankat1991LamheSaudagarVishwatmaJo Jeeta Wohi SikandarBekhudiBadi Bahen1992DaminiRoop Ki Rani Choron Ka RajaDil Aashna HaiParamparaKal Ki AwazHastiTyagiJab Jab Pyar HuaHumlaaSwarg Se Pyaara Ghar HamaraMuskurahatPrem DeewaneGurudevDrohi1993DarrAainaGeetanjaliGumrahJazbaatKanyadaanDhanwaanMohabbat Ki ArzooPhool1994Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!1942: A Love StoryPrem YogTejasviniMajhdhaarRock DancerPremThe GentlemanCriminalAkhiri Intaqam1995Dilwale Dulhania Le JayengeDushmani: A Violent Love StoryChor Chor1996DastakMr. AashiqPrem GranthTamannaAastha: In the Prison of SpringDaayraaHimalay Putra1997VirasatDil To Pagal HaiAur Pyaar Ho GayaSapnay1998DushmanKudratDuplicateZakhmAarzooAa Ab Laut Chalen1999Hum Saath-Saath HainThakshakKartoosKaho Naa... Pyaar Hai 2000s2000MohabbateinRefugeeHum To Mohabbat KaregaKasoorGaja GaminiKhiladi 420KurukshetraOne 2 Ka 4Chhupa RustamLove You Hamesha2001Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil MeinFilhaalAksStyleAnsh: The Deadly PartDeewaanapanYeh Mohabbat HaiPyaar Kiya Nahin JaataBawandarMujhe Pyar Hua TumseDil Dhoondta HaiSai BabaYehi To Pyar Hai...Taj Mahal - A Monument of LoveKhatron Ke KhiladiMuthu MaharajaLittle JohnAakheer2002Mujhse Dosti Karoge!SaathiyaMere Yaar Ki Shaadi HaiDil Vil Pyar VyarJismNa Tum Jaano Na HumAwara Paagal DeewanaOm Jai JagadishLeelaLove at Times SquareIndian BabuHum Pyar Tumhi Se Kar BaitheDhund - The Fog2003Koi... Mil GayaLOC: KargilMain Prem Ki Diwani HoonKuch Naa KahoPaapPinjarZinda DilParwanaWoh Tera Naam ThaSupariChupke SePolice Force: An Inside StoryNayee Padosan2016Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh2019Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga2023Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani12th Fail2024Article 370Singham AgainStree 2Kalki 2898 AD 2025DhurandharTu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri2026Krishnavataram Part 1: The Heart (Hridayam)
Hindi non-films Year Album Artist(s) 1990s1987SenoritaSuneeta Rao1990Dhuan1995Ganga Amar Ma Padma Amar MaRuna Laila1996Mere Wattan Ke LogoLata MangeshkarTalaashSuneeta Rao1997FarebíBiddu1998Sach Ka SaathTrilok Singh LoombaHo Gayi Hai MohabbatAslam, Shibani KashyapOmAlisha ChinaiPyaar Ka RangRaageshwariAira Gaira Nathu KhairaSunidhi ChauhanVande Mataram 2Lata MangeshkarBreathlessShankar MahadevanZindagiSuchitra Krishnamoorti1999Y2K: Shaal Do HazaarRaageshwari
Tamil films Year Film2000Kandukondain KandukondainAlai Payuthey2001 Minnale2022Varalaru Mukkiyam2023VeeranMaaveeranAnnapoorani: The Goddess of Food2024Captain MillerInga Naan Thaan KinguTeenzAmaranKanguva2025Thug LifeGangersIdli Kadai2026ParasakthiThaai Kizhavi
Malayalam films
Year Film2021Kurup2022Super SharanyaPathaam ValavuUpacharapoorvam Gunda JayanJo and JoKeedamPriyan OttathilanuEla Veezha PoonchiraVamananShefeekkinte SanthoshamMy Name Is AzhakanChathuramPadavettuKumariVivaha AvahanamRomanchamAutorickshawkarante BharyaKaapaPadachone Ingalu KatholiThe TeacherKheddaBharatha Circus 2023DjinnAyishaNtikkakkakkoru PremondarnnJawanum MullapoovumVaathilMomo in DubaiBullet DiariesPendulumKasargoldAT - Welcome to The Dark SidePookkaalamEnkilum ChandrikeBhagavan Dasante RamarajyamKhajuraaho DreamsNeymarWithin SecondsThe Great EscapePappaNjaanum Pinnoru NjaanumAsthraRDXPadminiNadhikalil Sundari YamunaAntonyMr. HackerNadhikalil Sundari YamunaLittle Miss RawtherPhilip'sBandraKadhikan 2024Anweshippin KandethumMalaikottai VaalibanThrayamKadha Innuvare 20254 SeasonsBazooka
Gujarati films Year Film2025Shastra
Telugu films Year Film2022Godfather
Assamese films Year Film2023Dr. Bezbaruah 22025Roi Roi Binale
Film content Films produced: Abhiyum Anuvum (2018)
Television content Saregama produces content for TV channels in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. The company has created many serials and shows.
YearTitleChannelLanguage2001SoolamSun TVTamil2002VelanSun TVTamil2004My Dear BhoothamSun TVTamil2005Raja RajeswariSun TVTamil2007-2008VepilaikariSun TVTamil2007-2012AthipookalSun TVTamil2010-2012Pondadi ThevaiSun TVTamil2012-2019ValliSun TVTamil2012-2014Pillai NilaSun TVTamil2012-2017Bhairavi Aavigalukku PriyamanavalSun TVTamil2014–2022ChandralekhaSun TVTamil2018-2022RojaSun TVTamil2019-2020RojaGemini TVTelugu2020-2024Anbe VaaSun TVTamil2022–2026 IlakkiyaSun TVTamil2022 - 2024IniyaSun TVTamil2024–2026Mangalyam ThanthunanenaSurya TVMalayalam2024–PresentMalliSun TVTamil2025–2026 Aadukalam Sun TVTamil2026–PresentSiragugalSun TVTamil
Web series YearTitleChannelLanguage2025Roja 2Saregama TV Shows TamilTamilLove ReturnsBhairavi 2
Notes
References
External links
Official Website