Sohail Sen (born 24 June 1984) is an Indian film composer, musician and singer who works in Bollywood. He debuted as a film composer with the Hindi film Sirf (2008), which went majorly unnoticed. Later, he gained fame as a Hindi film composer, with his acclaimed work in What's Your Raashee? (2009). He is also known for composing the popular soundtracks of Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, Ek Tha Tiger, and Gunday.
Early life Sen comes from a family of musicians who have worked in the film industry and his entry into the film composing world marked the fourth generation of his family to do so. His father, Sameer Sen (of the music director duo Dilip Sen-Sameer Sen) has always been a strong influence in his life, as was his paternal grandfather Shri Shambhu Sen's singing.
Sen started learning music at the age of six. He learnt to play the tabla as a child, and then went on to learn various musical instruments including the piano and percussion and rhythm instruments. He learnt classical music from his grandfather Shri Shambhu Sen. He began his career as a music director at the young age of thirteen when he composed the music for a telefilm titled Roshni and for which renowned singer Kavita Krishnamurthy provided playback. He then decided to assist his father for nine years to fine-tune his skills as a film composer.
Career In 2008, Sen began his career as a film composer, with the Hindi film Sirf, however, the film was supposed to be released in 2006, but it got delayed badly and was released in 2008 and eventually the music went unnoticed. He also composed the music for The Murderer (2009), which also got delayed and the music went unnoticed.
In 2009, he got a turning point, in his career as a film composer, when director Ashutosh Gowariker approached him for his film What's Your Raashee?. Initially he wanted his all-time favourite composer A. R. Rahman to compose for the film, but Rahman couldn't do it, because he wanted to compose for Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire instead. So, he started looking for someone who is capable and can contribute all his time for composing in his film alone. Sen was always keen to work with Ashutosh Gowariker and incidentally his father Sameer Sen knew him from before and knowing that Gowariker was looking for someone to compose for his film, Sen asked his father to fix a meeting with him. His first meeting with Gowariker was a casual one at his office, it was where he told him that he would like to make him listen to some of his compositions. Gowariker immediately agreed to visit his studio the next morning. The next day, when he went to Sen's studio and heard some of his tunes, he really liked what he heard and after a couple of weeks later, Gowariker called up Sen and said "You are on for this project". For Sen, it was a dream come true. At first Sen was thrilled of getting the offer, but when he was told that there would be 13 songs in the movie, one song for each of the 12 zodiac signs and then one song in which the lead protagonist makes the final choice, he was taken aback, since nowadays its quite rare to hear 13 different songs in one album and that itself was a difficult task, and again, it was an equally difficult task to create 13 distinct songs, each for one particular zodiac sign and then incorporating the flavor of all these 12 songs into that final song, was the most toughest task, however he took it up as a challenge and started working on the music, which took more than one and a half years in the making.
The soundtrack of the film, was released in August 2009 and irrespective of the box office status of the film, it has been able to garner mostly positive critical responses. Bollywood Hungama quoted the album as "interestingly done" and "an experience not to be missed". BBC Music praised Sen's work and quoted him as "Sen shows he can successfully compete with the best in Bollywood". Besides composing the soundtrack and the film score, Sen even sang most of the songs in the film.
In 2010, director Ashutosh Gowariker roped him again, for his period piece film Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey, based on the Chittagong Uprising of 1930. The soundtrack of which met with positive critical responses.
In 2011, he has had a major release with a top banner Yash Raj Films – Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, the music of which got appreciation from both critics and masses. The songs "Dhunki", "Isq Risk" and title track were chartbusters. In 2012, he replaced Pritam as the music director for Salman Khan's next film Ek Tha Tiger, since Pritam had date problems with both Yash Raj projects Ek Tha Tiger and Dhoom 3. The soundtrack received unanimously positive reviews. In 2014, Sen will team up with Ali Abbas Zafar once again after Mere Brother Ki Dulhan for Gunday, which features Ranveer Singh, Arjun Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, and Irrfan Khan. While Sen will become music composer for the Hindi theatrical release of Gunday, Bappi Lahiri will compose full Bengali songs for the film, as it is also to be released in Bengali. This marks the first time Bappi Lahiri will work with Yash Raj Films.
Discography Year Film Song Singer(s) Lyrics Notes2008 Sirf"Pehle Woh Pyaar"Kunal GanjawalaMehboob, Vipul Saini All songs collaborating with Shibani Kashyap"Zindagi Ki Kahani""Zindagi Ki Kahani (II)"Kunal Ganjawala, Pamela Jain"Tujhpe Fida"Tarannum Mallik, Sohail Sen "Mumbai Nagariya"KK, Tarannum Mallik "Ghar Tera Ghar Mera"Shaan, Shreya Ghoshal"Khel Jo Khele"Vinod Rathod"Life Peeche Peeche"Shibani Kashyap 2009What's Your Raashee?"What's Your Raashee? - Pal Pal Dil Jisko Dhoonde"Sohail Sen Javed AkhtarSolo Composer "What's Your Raashee? - Chehre Jo Dekhe Hain""Jao Na"Sohail Sen, Tarannum Mallik"Dhadkan Dhadkan""Salone Kya""Maanunga Maanunga"Ashutosh Gowarikar, Pamela Jain "Aa Le Chal"Aslesha Gowarikar, Harman Baweja"Su Chhe"Bela Shende, Sohail Sen "Koi Jaane Na"Rajab Ali Bharti, Bela Shende "Aaja Lehrate"Shaan, Bhavya Pandit"Bikhri Bikhri"Sohail Sen, Marianne D'Cruz "Sau Janam"Udit Narayan, Madhushree, Sohail Sen"Pyaari Pyaari"Alka Yagnik, Sohail Sen 2010Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey"Yeh Des Hai Mera"Sohail Sen"Sapne Saloney"Sohail Sen, Pamela Jain "Naiyn Tere"Pamela Jain, Ranjini Jose, Kids Chorus "Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey" Suresh Wadkar, Chorus "Vande Mataram Revised"Chorus "The Escape"Pamela Jain Instrumental 2011Mere Brother Ki Dulhan"Mere Brother Ki Dulhan"KK, Krishna BeuraIrshad Kamil"Dhunki"Neha Bhasin"Choomantar"Benny Dayal, Aditi Singh Sharma"Isq Risk"Rahat Fateh Ali Khan"Isq Risk (Risky Mix)"Sreeram Chandra, Neha Bhasin "Madhubala"Ali Zafar, Sreeram Chandra, Shweta Pandit"Do Dhaari Talwaar"Shahid Mallya, Shweta Pandit 2012From Sydney with Love"Feeling Love in Sydney"Sohail SenAnvita Dutt Guptan"Ho Jaayega"Mohit Chauhan, Monali Thakur"Khatkaa Khatkaa"Mika Singh"Item Ye Hi Fi"Neeraj Shridhar"Naino Ne"Palak Muchhal, Mohammad Salamat "Naino Ne (2nd Version)"Palak Muchhal, Sohail Sen "Pyaari Pyaari (Remix)"Sohail Sen, Brooklyn Shanti Ek Tha Tiger"Laapata"KK, Palak MuchhalWon BIG Star Entertainment Award for Most Entertaining Music, along with Sajid–Wajid"Saiyaara"Mohit Chauhan, Tarannum MallikKausar Munir"Banjaara"Sukhwinder SinghNeelesh Misra2014Gunday"Jashn-E-Ishqa"Javed Ali, Shadaab FaridiIrshad Kamil Solo Composer "Rhythm of Jashn-E-Ishqa"Shaadab Faridi "Mann Kintu Maula"Altamash Faridi, Shaadab Faridi "Mann Kintu Maula (Classical)""Jiya"Arijit Singh"Saaiyaan"Shahid Mallya"Asalaam-E-Ishqum" Bappi Lahiri, Neha Bhasin "Tune Maari Entriyaan"Bappi Lahiri, KK, Vishal Dadlani, Neeti Mohan"Tune Maari Entriyaan (Bengali Version)"Bappi Lahiri, Monali ThakurBappi Lahiri, Gautam Susmit "Gunday" Sohail Sen, Kinga Rhymes Ali Abbas Zafar2016 Housefull 3"Taang Uthake" Sohail Sen, Mika Singh, Neeti Mohan, Mamta SharmaSameer Sen, Mamta Sharma, Sanjeev Chaturvedi, Sajid-FarhadHappy Bhag Jayegi"Happy Oye"Harshdeep Kaur, Shahid Mallya Mudassar AzizSolo Composer "Gabru Ready To Mingle Hai" Mika Singh, Neeti Mohan, Tarannum Mallik, Danish Sabri "Aashiq Tera" Altamash Faridi "Zara Si Dosti"Arijit Singh "Yaaram" Javed Ali 2017 The Test CaseTitle Track Bhoomi TrivediAltBalaji Web Series 2018Love per Square Foot (Netflix film)"Yatri Kripaya Dhyaan De" Abhishek Dhusia, Sahir Nawab, Sumeet Suvarna Solo Composer"Chicken Dance"Benny Dayal, Shivangi Bhayana Anand Tiwari"Aashiyana" Altamash Faridi, Tarannum Mallik Abhiruchi Chand "Maqbool Hai"Altamash FaridiJamil Ahmed "Ishq Mein Bajti Hai Ghanti" Udit NarayanGopal Dutt"Raaz Apne Dil Ke (Indian)"Rekha Bhardwaj"Raaz Apne Dil Ke (Western)"Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi"Swag Saha Nahi Jaye"Sohail Sen, Shaadab Faridi, Neha Bhasin, Shivangi Bhayana Mudassar Aziz "Happy Bhag Jayegi"Daler Mehndi, Harshdeep Kaur, Suvarna Tiwari "Koi Gal Nai"Shahid Mallya, Piyush Mishra, Mudassar Aziz "Kudiye Ni Tere"Udit Narayan, Shivangi Bhayana "Chin Chin Chu (Remake)"Jassi Gill, Sonakshi Sinha, Mudassar Aziz Qamar JalalabadiBaazaar "Adhura Lafz"Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Pratibha Singh BaghelJamil Ahmed 2019Fraud Saiyaan "Ishq Ishq Tera"Altamash Faridi Kumaar"Fraud Saiyaan"Shaadab Faridi "Mashoor Hazoor - E - Aala"Shahid Mallya "Ladies Paan"Shahid Mallya, Mamta Sharma, Shaadab Faridi Yaaram "Baby Mera"Sohail Sen, Neha Bhasin Romeo Akbar Walter "Bulleya" Rabbi Shergill, Shahid Mallya Ashok PunjabiHousefull 4"Shaitan Ka Saala"Vishal Dadlani, Sohail Sen Farhad Samji "Ek Chumma"Sohail Sen, Altamash Faridi, Jyotica TangriSameer Anjaan"Chammo"Sukhwinder Singh, Shreya Ghoshal, Shaadab Faridi, Sohail Sen 2020Guns of Banaras"Band Bajega"Shahid Mallya Solo Composer "Dheere Dheere Se"Mohit Chauhan, Pawni Pandey"Bande Hai"Sohail Sen "Pagal Hai Mera Dil"Sohail Sen, Palak Muchhal 2021Velle"Raakh Ka Dariya"Divya KumarSiddharth-Garima "Khayali Ishq"Mohit Chauhan 2022Double XL"Taali Taali"Sohail Sen, Silambarasan, Rukhsar Bandhukia Mudassar Aziz "Rangelo Manva"Sohail Sen, Shahid Mallya, Rekha Bhardwaj, Pratibha Singh Baghel "Tumse Mila Doon"Javed Ali, Sohail Sen 2024Maharaj "Achutam Keshavam" Sonu Nigam, Osman Mir TraditionalNetflix film "Holi Ke Rang Ma"Shreya Ghoshal, Shaan, Osman Mir,Sohail SenKausar Munir "Haan Ke Haan"Monali Thakur 2025Mere Husband Ki Biwi"Sawariya Ji"Sohail Sen, Varsha Singh DhanoaMudassar Aziz
Awards and nominations Year Category Nominated work Result Filmfare Awards 2012 Best Music Director Mere Brother Ki Dulhan Stardust Awards 2010 Standout Performance by a Music Director What's Your Raashee? rowspan=3 2011 Standout Performance by a Music DirectorKhelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey New Musical Sensation – Male Mirchi Music Awards 2014 Album of The Year Gunday rowspan=2 Best Song Producer (Programming & Arranging) "Tune Maari Entriyaan" from Gunday
References
External links
Sohail Sen at WN Musically Yours: Sohail Sen