Shankar Ehsaan Loy

In keeping with the widespread Bollywood custom of uniting composers drawn from disparate musical traditions, Shankar Ehsaan Loy became the first trio to handle music direction for Hindi films. They harnessed Shankar Mahadevan’s grounding in Indian classical music, Ehsaan Noorani’s command of rock and acoustic pop, and Loy Mendonsa’s command of electronica-fusion, thereby producing a body of work that balanced longstanding conventions with forward-looking innovation. Even prior to issuing any official album, the group established a strong reputation when they supplied the soundtrack for Dus, a movie that ultimately went unreleased; the sessions nevertheless earned widespread admiration within industry circles. Following their contributions to Shool and Dillagi, the trio scored Dil Chahta Hai, a project that elevated them to nationwide recognition. Echoing the film’s own tone, the album resonated with younger listeners through its energetic and modern sensibility. The composers achieved their greatest acclaim with Kal Ho Na Ho, earning the National Film Award for Best Music Direction for that score.