Viju Shah

Vijay Shah (born 5 June 1959), popularly known as Viju Shah, is an Indian composer in the Hindi film industry. He is the son of Kalyanji Virji Shah, one-half of the composer duo Kalyanji–Anandji.[1]

Shah has composed soundtracks for over 20 Hindi films, including Tridev (1989), Vishwatma (1992), Mohra (1994), Gupt: The Hidden Truth (1997), and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998). He won the Filmfare Award for Best Background Score in 1998 for his work in Gupt: The Hidden Truth.[2]

Career

Early career and breakthrough (1985–1992)

Shah made his Bollywood debut in 1985 with Rajiv Rai's action thriller Yudh, where he was credited as Vijay Shah.[3] This was the first of his multiple collaborations with Rai.

In 1989, Shah gained recognition with the soundtrack for Rai's musical action thriller Tridev. The film's soundtrack included the song "Tirchi Topiwale,” for which received his first nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director and inspired a 1998 film of the same name.

Rise to prominence (1992–1997)

In 1992, following the success of Tridev, Shah composed the soundtrack for Rai's action thriller Vishwatma and horror thriller Junoon. The following year, he composed the score for the action drama Lootere (1993), which earned him his first nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Background Score.

In 1994, Shah composed the soundtrack for Rai's action thriller Mohra, which featured songs including "Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast" and "Tip Tip Barsa Pani."[4] The album emerged as the second highest-selling Bollywood soundtrack album of the year (after Hum Aapke Hain Koun),[5] with over 8 million units.[6] The film earned Shah his second nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director. That same year, he composed the background score for Rajkumar Santoshi's comedy Andaz Apna Apna, which earned him a second nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Background Score.

He composed the soundtrack for the romantic drama Tere Mere Sapne (1996), produced by Amitabh Bachchan's ABCL. The film's soundtrack earned Shah his third nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director.

Shah and Rai next collaborated on the murder mystery thriller Gupt: The Hidden Truth (1997). The film's soundtrack emerged as the third highest-selling Bollywood album of the year (after Dil To Pagal Hai and Pardes).[5] It earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Background Score, along with his fourth nomination for Best Music Director.

Later work (1998–present)

In 1998, Shah composed for David Dhawan's action comedy Bade Miyan Chote Miyan.[7] The film's soundtrack included the song 'Makhna,' which gained popularity during the film's release. Shah received his fifth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director for the film's soundtrack.

His collaboration with Rai continued with Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat (2001) and Asambhav (2004).

In 2020, Shah composed the score for the Netflix crime drama film Class of '83.[8]

Accolades

Year Award Category Film Result Ref.
1990 35th Filmfare Awards Best Music Director Tridev Nominated [9]
1994 39th Filmfare Awards Best Background Score Lootere Nominated [10]
1995 40th Filmfare Awards Best Music Director Mohra Nominated [11]
Best Background Score Andaz Apna Apna Nominated
1997 42nd Filmfare Awards Best Music Director Tere Mere Sapne Nominated [12]
1998 43rd Filmfare Awards Gupt: The Hidden Truth[13] Nominated [14]
Best Background Score Won
1st Zee Cine Awards Best Music Director Nominated [15]
1999 44th Filmfare Awards Best Music Director Bade Miyan Chote Miyan Nominated [16]

Discography

Year Name Note(s)
1985 Yudh Background Score
1989 Tridev Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Background Score
1990 Muqaddar Ka Badshaah
Jaanam Album with Amit Kumar and Sapna Mukherjee
1992 Vishwatma All Remix "Saat Samundar Paar", "Toofan", "Dil Le Gayi Teri Bindiya", "Aankhon Mein Hai Kya"
1993 Lootere Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Background Score
1994 Mohra Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Music Director
Andaz Apna Apna Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Background Score
1995 Ravan Raaj
1996 Tere Mere Sapne Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Music Director
1997 Prithvi
Gupt Won—Filmfare Award for Best Background Score
Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Music Director
Aar Ya Paar
1998 Vinashak
Humse Badhkar Kaun
Bade Miyan Chote Miyan Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Music Director
2000 Bulandi
Beti No. 1 Also playback singer
2001 Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat
Hadh
Kasam
2003 Dhund
Kaise Kahoon Ke Pyaar Hai
Tujhe Meri Kasam
2004 Asambhav
2004 K. Street Pali Hill
2005 Shikhar
2006 Yun Hota Toh Kya Hota
2007 Victoria No. 203
2011 Loot Background score
2015 Aa Te Kevi Dunniya Gujarati film
2016 Julie 2
2020 Class of '83 Background score

References

  1. ^ "Biography of Viju Shah from hindilyrics.net". Archived from the original on 11 September 2010. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
  2. ^ Getter, Joseph (2012). "Review of Behind the Curtain: Making Music in Mumbai's Film Studios". Asian Music. 43 (1): 131–137. ISSN 0044-9202.
  3. ^ "Viju Shah | Music Department, Composer, Actor". IMDb. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  4. ^ "Tip Tip Barsa Paani composer Viju Shah reacts to Sooryavanshi song". India Today. 10 November 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Music Hits 1990-1999 (Figures in Units)". Box Office India. Archived from the original on 5 February 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  6. ^ "Top 25 films between the years 1985-1994". Filmfare. 18 February 2018.
  7. ^ "Bade Miyan Chote Miyan composer Viju Shah says Amitabh Bachchan and Govinda starrer's characters were 'Bhindi bazaar types'". PINKVILLA. 8 July 2024. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  8. ^ FC, Team (7 August 2020). "Why Composer Viju Shah's Return—With Netflix's Class of 83—Has Got Us Excited". www.filmcompanion.in. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  9. ^ "Filmfare Awards 1990 Winners". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 4 April 2025.
  10. ^ "Filmfare Awards 1994 Winners". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 4 April 2025.
  11. ^ "Filmfare Awards 1995 Winners". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 4 April 2025.
  12. ^ "Filmfare Awards 1997 Winners". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 4 April 2025.
  13. ^ "Filmfare Awards 1998 Winners". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  14. ^ "Filmfare Awards 1998 Winners". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 4 April 2025.
  15. ^ "Lux Zee Cine Awards 1998 - 1st Zee Cine Awards". www.awardsandshows.com. Retrieved 4 April 2025.
  16. ^ "Filmfare Awards 1999 Winners". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 4 April 2025.