Nadeem–Shravan are Indian music directors duo in the Bollywood film industry of India. They derive their name from the first names of Nadeem Akhtar Saifi (born 6 August 1954) and Shravan Kumar Rathod (13 November 1954 – 22 April 2021).[1][2]
Nadeem–Shravan were the most successful Bollywood music directors of the 1990s until the early 2000s.[3] They displayed a strong influence of Hindustani (classical / semi-classical) music in their compositions, and were the only composers during the 1990s and 2000s who relied heavily on three particular instruments: the bansuri, the sitar and the shehnai in almost all of their songs. By using these instruments in a modern way without disconnecting them from their original value, their contribution is unique compared to some rising music directors evolving a new music style beginning in the mid-1990s. They are considered one of the most successful and greatest music composers in Hindi cinema history.
Their breakthrough soundtrack album was Aashiqui (1990), which sold 20 million units in India,[4] and became the best-selling Bollywood soundtrack album of all time.[5] Nadeem–Shravan were also behind many of the other best-selling Bollywood soundtrack albums of the 1990s.[5] Their success helped establish the music label T-Series.[6] The duo's career temporarily came to a halt with the murder of T-Series founder Gulshan Kumar by Mumbai underworld syndicate D-Company, with Nadeem Akhtar Saifi initially accused of involvement, before later being exonerated. The duo eventually made a comeback in the 2000s.
Nadeem–Shravan composed soundtracks for many Hindi films, including Aashiqui (1990), Saajan (1991), Phool Aur Kaante (1991), Sadak (1991), Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin (1991), Deewana (1992), Sapne Saajan Ke (1992), Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993), Rang (1993), Dilwale (1994), Aatish: Feel the Fire (1994), Salaami (1994), Raja (1995), Barsaat (1995), Agni Sakshi (1996), Jeet (1996), Raja Hindustani (1996), Saajan Chale Sasural (1996), Pardes (1997), Judaai (1997), Mohabbat (1997), Maharaja (1998), Sirf Tum (1999), Dhadkan (2000), Kasoor (2001), Ek Rishtaa (2001), Yeh Dil Aashiqanaa (2002), Raaz (2002), Dil Hai Tumhaara (2002), Haan Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya (2002), Dil Ka Rishta (2003), Andaaz (2003), Qayamat (2003), Tumsa Nahi Dekha (2004) and Bewafaa (2005), Barsaat (2005), Dosti (2005) among others.
Their most commonly featured and favorite singers include "Trio" Kumar Sanu, Alka Yagnik, Udit Narayan but other Hindi playback singers like Anuradha Paudwal, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Sonu Nigam, Sadhana Sargam, Poornima, Jaspinder Narula, K. S. Chithra, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Hariharan, Suresh Wadkar, Pankaj Udhas, Mohammed Aziz, Sudesh Bhosle, Shailendra Singh, Shabbir Kumar, Nitin Mukesh, Roop Kumar Rathod, Vinod Rathod, Abhijeet, Shaan, Amit Kumar, KK, Gurdas Maan, Shankar Mahadevan, Babul Supriyo, Manhar Udhas, Bali Brahmbhatt, Jolly Mukherjee, Sapna Mukherjee, Alisha Chinoy, Anwar, Vijay Benedict, Sunanda, Sapna Awasthi, Sarika Kapoor and many others have sung under their baton. Veteran singer Mohammed Rafi also sang for them in their film Dangal and Kishore Kumar in the film Ilaaka. Singers Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle also sang in few albums for the duo.
The association of Nadeem Akhtar Saifi and Shravan dates back to 1973 when they met each other at a function. Their first film assignment was Dangal, a Bhojpuri movie in 1973 (released in 1977) which featured the popular Bhojpuri song "Kashi hile, Patna hile" sung by Manna Dey.[7] Their first Hindi movie assignment was Maine Jeena Seekh Liya in 1981 sung by Amit Kumar. In 1985, the duo composed music for a commercial project called Star Ten. Ten Hindi actors (Mithun, Jackie Shroff, Anil Kapoor, Sachin, Danny, Vijendra, Sulakshana Pandit, etc.) sang some songs with lyrics by Anwar Saagar.[8]
Their breakthrough film, Aashiqui (1990), which brought them into the limelight, was gifted to them by none other than Gulshan Kumar. Aashiqui has been rated the 4th best soundtrack ever by Planet Bollywood on their "100 Greatest Bollywood Soundtracks".[9] The soundtrack album sold 20 million units,[4] making it the best-selling Bollywood soundtrack album of all time.[5]
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Their success continued with Saajan, Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin, Sadak, Sainik, Raja, Dilwale, Raja Hindustani and Phool Aur Kaante. Whether it was "Chehra Kya Dekhte Ho" (Salaami), "Adayein Bhi Hain" (Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin) "Sochenge Tumhe Pyar" (Deewana), "Tujhe Na Dekhu Toh Chain" (Rang), they all had the distinct stamp of Nadeem–Shravan.[citation needed]
Most of their compositions fall under the filmi-ghazal genre, as they were greatly inspired by ghazal music,[10] and Classical music.[11]
When Pardes soundtrack was released, the tracks had different varieties of songs; songs ("I Love My India" and "Meri Mehbooba"), love songs ("Do Dil Mil Rahe Hain") and qawwali ("Nahin Hona Tha)" pop ("My first day in America"), pain ("Ye Dil Deewana"). Planet Bollywood started the review by saying, "The music for Pardes is Nadeem-Shravan's best ever."[12]
They have worked with lyricists like Sameer, Anand Bakshi, Faaiz Anwar, Hasrat Jaipuri, Rani Malik and many others. When they arrived on the music scene, Laxmikant–Pyarelal and Anand–Milind were at the top. But subsequently their hard work paid off and they had various hits in a row.[8]
Gulshan Kumar, the owner of T-Series, was shot dead outside the Jeeteshwar Mahadev Mandir, a Hindu mandir dedicated to Lord Shiva of which he attended daily in Jeet Nagar, Andheri West suburb of Mumbai, on 12 August 1997. Mumbai underworld organization D-Company was involved with the murder.[13] The police also accused Nadeem Saifi of having paid for the murder due to a personal dispute and fled the country after the murder. According to the police, Nadeem hatched the conspiracy in Dubai in May with Anees Ibrahim Kaskar, the brother of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar and Dawood's associates Abu Salem and Kayyum. Crime branch sources said Nadeem has been out of Bombay since Gulshan Kumar died. During the interrogation of the arrested gangsters, the police reportedly learned that Nadeem had organized a "secret" music function in June for Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar in Dubai. Many well-known Bollywood personalities, the police claim, were present.[14]
After the police's allegations against him, Nadeem Saifi had fled to the United Kingdom. In 2001, the case was taken to the London High Court, which rejected the Indian government's request for extradition on the grounds that there was no prima facie case against Saifi. In August 2001, the prosecution's main witness, Mohammed Ali Hussain Shaikh, who had earlier claimed Saifi participated in the murder, eventually revealed that he didn't know Saifi and had never seen him.[15] Abu Salem also denied Nadeem's involvement on Indian national television. Saifi was also exonerated by four courts, including the House of Lords in the United Kingdom and the sessions court in Mumbai. Saifi eventually acquired British citizenship, and later moved to Dubai, where he runs a successful perfumery business.[16]
Nadeem remained in the UK and despite the distance between England and India, he and Shravan continued to make music together. But they later split after Dosti: Friends Forever.[17]
On 22 April 2021, Shravan died of COVID-19 after being hospitalized days before in critical condition, in Hinduja Hospital.[18] His son and wife were admitted to another medical facility in the city.[19][20]
Jahan Base Dil (2022)
Mai Aap Ke Seene Mein (2023) - Originally recorded in 1993
In total span of 15 years only 5 years (1994, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2005) are such which don't have Nadeem–Shravan album in top 3. The yearly analysis is as follows:
The following table lists the sales of Nadeem–Shravan's top-selling Bollywood music soundtrack albums in India.
In 1990, the super-success of Nadeem–Shravan's Aashiqui ushered in the era of ghazal-type romantic music as in Saajan, Dil, Phool aur Kaante, Deewana.
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