The Filmfare Award for Best Music Director is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to the best composer/arranger of a soundtrack. This category was first presented in 1954. Naushad Ali was the first recipient of this award for his song "Tu Ganga Ki Mauj" from the film Baiju Bawra. For the first two years, it was awarded to the composer for a particular song and not the entire album. From 1956 onwards, awards in this category have been given for the entire soundtrack. From 2017, the name of this was category changed from best music direction to music album.
Superlatives
A. R. Rahman with his award of 2012 for the film Rockstar. He holds the record of maximum wins in this category.
A. R. Rahman leads the winners with 10 awards, followed by the music director duo of Shankar–Jaikishan, who have 9. Laxmikant Pyarelal and Pritam has the most nominations with 25, followed by Shankar–Jaikishan with 20, A. R. Rahman with 18, and R. D. Burman with 17.
Shankar–Jaikishan holds the record for the highest number of consecutive-year nominations (9), having been nominated for the award every year from 1959 till 1967, winning the award four times from 10 total nominations.
Pritam received six consecutive nominations between 2013 and 2018, and won in 2013, 2017 and 2018.
Laxmikant Pyarelal and A. R. Rahman have the distinction of winning the award four times in a row between 1978 and 1981 and between 2007 and 2010, respectively. Those who have won the award thrice in a row are Shankar–Jaikishan (1971–1973) and Nadeem Shravan (1991–1993).
Pritam holds the record for the highest number of nominations in a single year, with 4 in 2024, winning the award for Animal (2023) jointly with Vishal Mishra, Harshavardhan Rameshwar, Shreyas Puranik, Ashim Kemson, Bhupinder Babbal and Jaani, while also being nominated solely for Dunki, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, and Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar. There have been three instances when a music director (or duo) were nominated thrice in the same year – Bappi Lahiri in 1985, Laxmikant Pyarelal in 1986 and A. R. Rahman in 2009.
Jatin–Lalit has never won this award after getting 12 nominations from (1992–2006), followed by Vishal–Shekhar who have yet to win the award after getting 10 nominations from (2005–2023).
Anu Malik won a Special Award in 2001 for the film Refugee.
Most wins
Multiple nominees
Multiple music directors (or duo/trio) have received multiple Best Music Director nominations.
Winners and nominees
In the list below, the winner of the award for each year is shown first, followed by the other nominees. The films are listed by the years when the award was presented. The announcing of nominations became regular after 1956.
