Happy birthday, Vishal Bhardwaj: Exploring his stupendous musical proficiency
What's the story
An artist whose career has been distinguished by excellence in multiple fields, Vishal Bhardwaj turned 58 on Friday.
Possibly the definition of a multi-hyphenate personality, he is a director, producer, singer, and music composer and his work has been nourishing Hindi cinema for several years now.
On his special day, we dig into his inclination toward music and his proficiency in this art form.
#1
His breakthrough through Gulzar's 'Maachis'
Bhardwaj's debut as a music composer happened through Abhay (The Fearless), a children's film.
Subsequently, he found work as a composer for films such as Sanshodhan and Fauji.
In 1996, a solid breakthrough emerged in the form of his now frequent collaborator Gulzar's Maachis, which had songs such as Chhod Aaye Hum, Chappa Chappa, and Aey Hawaa, among many others.
#2
National Award and other prominent albums
After Maachis's soundtrack put Bhardwaj at the center stage, success and more opportunities presented themselves, such as Chachi 420, Satya, Daya, and Jahan Tum Le Chalo, among others.
Satya became a cult classic, with his compositions such as Goli Maar and Sapne Mein being popular even today.
Soon after, he was honored with the National Film Award for Best Music Direction for Godmother.
#3
Singing: Bhardwaj has lent his voice to these songs
In addition to composing music for several films (including his own directed films), Bhardwaj has sometimes also shouldered responsibility behind the mic to lend his voice to some notable numbers.
These include O Saathi Re Din Dube Naa from Omkara, Kash Laga from No Smoking, Yun Hua from Striker, Bekaraan from 7 Khoon Maaf, Aao Na and Do Jahaan from Haider, among others.
#4
Opinion: Music is his 'food for the soul'
During an event, the Omkara director shared, "I never wanted to become a director and do big things! Mere rooh ki giza aur bhook (food for soul and hunger) is music. I feared that if I don't become a director I might stop getting songs. My only dream in life was to compose a composition of Gulzar Sahab and that Lataji (Mangeshkar) sing it."