It"s the creative calibre of music directors and their virtuosity in understanding the apt musical demand of a film that was brought with Hindi films, music and songs of all variations.
A. R. Rahman, the internationally renowned music director has composed the most famed and award-winning original scores and soundtracks of films like "Rangeela", "Dil Se..", "Taal", "Lagaan", "Saathiya", "Rang De Basanti", "Guru" and "Jodhaa Akbar". He won the National Film Award for Best Music Direction for "Lagaan". Rahul Dev Burman was the eminent name and face in Bollywood music of the period 1960s to 1990s. Considered a seminal music personality of Indian Cinema, he did major work with wife Asha Bhosle, Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar, scoring many of the songs that made these singers famous. His songs continue to be popular in India and favourites amongst the audience of his time. His father, Sachin Dev Burman, was a noted composer of 1940s to 1960s, with an illustrious career graph boasting films like "Baazi", "Devdas" and "Pyaasa".
Laxmikant-Pyarelal were a popular composer duo who composed music for about 635 Hindi films from 1963 to 1998, working for almost all notable filmmakers like Raj Kapoor, B. R. Chopra, Manmohan Desai, Yash Chopra and Subhash Ghai. Shankar Jaikishan and Nadeem-Shravan count the other noted composer duos of Bollywood. Khayyam"s career as music composer spanned 4 decades (1953-1990), his repertory in Hindi film music comprising award-winning "Kabhi Kabhie" and "Umrao Jaan", alongside films "Raziya Sultan", "Noorie" and "Thodisi Bewaffai". Naushad Ali was a musician who popularised the use of classical music in films. His works encompass 35 silver jubilee hits, 12 golden jubilee and 3 diamond jubilee mega successes.
Bappi Lahiri popularised the use of synthesized disco music in Indian cinema. His popular Hindi film soundtracks of 1980s and 1990s include those of "Wardat", "Disco Dancer", "Namak Halaal", "Dance Dance", "Sailaab" and "Sharaabi". Anu Malik is a famed music composer who emerged to prominence in the 90s, delivering hits with films like "Jaanam", "Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee", "Baazigar", "Border", "Refugee", "Yaadein", "Main Hoon Na" and the 2016 noted soundtrack of "Dum Laga Ke Haisha". Jatin-Lalit composed music for films "Khamoshi: The Musical", "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge", "Yes Boss", "Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai" and "Fanaa". The other popular contemporary composer duos are Salim-Sulaiman, Sajid-Wajid and Vishal-Shekhar.
The acclaimed trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy have delivered hits in films like "Dil Chahta Hai", "Kal Ho Naa Ho", "Rock On!!" and "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag". Pritam is a popular contemporary music director who has composed hits for "Dhoom", "Jab We Met", "Love Aaj Kal", "Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani" and "Dilwale". The other popular music composers of today include Ankit Tiwari, Mithoon, Jeet Gannguli and Meet Bros.