Ajay-Atul facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ajay-Atul
Ajay (left)-Atul (right) in Pune
Born	21 August 1976 (1976-08-21) (age 48) (Ajay) 11 September 1974 (1974-09-11) (age 50) (Atul) Pune, Maharashtra, India
Occupation	Record producer composer playback singer songwriter
Years active	2000–present
Organization	A&A Music Studios
Works	Discography

Ajay-Atul is a famous music duo from India. They are brothers, Ajay Ashok Gogavale and Atul Ashok Gogavale. They are well-known for creating music for Indian movies. Most of their work is in Marathi and Hindi films.

They have won many important awards for their music. These include a National Film Award and several Filmfare Awards Marathi. They were also listed among India's top celebrities by Forbes India.

Ajay-Atul started their journey with a devotional album called Vishwa Vinayak. This album mixed traditional prayers with grand orchestral music. Over the years, they have composed music for many popular films. Some of these are Natarang, Sairat, Agneepath, Dhadak, and Tumbbad. Their music often uses real instruments and blends old and new styles. Recently, their songs for Marathi films like Chandramukhi and Ved have been very successful. They continue to create new music and explore different projects.

Growing Up and Discovering Music

Ajay and Atul were born to Ashok Gogavale. Their father worked for the government's Revenue Department. Because of his job, the family moved a lot. They lived in many villages across western Maharashtra when they were young. Atul, the older brother, was born on September 11, 1974. Ajay, the younger brother, was born on August 21, 1976.

As children, they were not very interested in school studies. However, they both loved music from a young age. They started trying out different musical ideas while still in school. Once, in a competition, Ajay played a song in a new way. They won a prize for this experiment. This win made them want to explore their musical talents even more.

Their family did not have a background in music. They also could not afford to buy musical instruments. So, Ajay and Atul started their musical journey by using instruments at their school, local temples, and with local bands. They learned a lot this way, even without formal training. They would make friends with people who owned instruments like harmoniums or drums.

Later, when they were in college, they began working as music arrangers for local bands. Their mother convinced their father to buy them a keyboard. This was a very special gift for them. Their father told them, "You haven't been given any toys during childhood, now this is your toy." This inspired them greatly, and they started experimenting with music even more.

Becoming Music Composers

In the beginning of their career, Ajay and Atul created a devotional album called Vishwa Vinayak. At that time, most devotional music sounded like film songs. They wanted to make something different and more spiritual. They were inspired by their devotion to Lord Ganesh. So, they decided to mix traditional prayers and chants with grand symphonic music. They even looked at famous Western composers like Bach and Beethoven for ideas.

They spent about a year and a half working on this album. They made sure the religious chants were correct and respectful. Even though they were excited, Vishwa Vinayak did not become an instant hit. For the next two and a half years, they found it hard to get new music projects. During this time, they also worked on a Christian devotional album called "Teri Sharan," which became popular. Looking back, they saw this period as a time for learning and getting ready for bigger things.

Things started to change when someone from Baroda called them. This person had heard Vishwa Vinayak and loved it so much that he found a way to contact them. This was the start of Vishwa Vinayak getting more attention. People from all over the world began to appreciate their music.

Slowly, their work on Vishwa Vinayak caught the eye of movie directors. Famous directors like Ram Gopal Varma and Mahesh Manjrekar asked them to compose music for their films. They also started getting work in Marathi cinema. Films like Savarkhed Ek Gaon, Aga Bai Arrecha!, and Jatra helped them become known. They believe Vishwa Vinayak was the big break that launched their successful career. They also composed music for many commercials and advertisements.

Some of their most famous songs include Man Udhān Vāryāche, Malhāravārī, and Kombdī Paḷalī. In 2010, Ajay-Atul composed all the songs and background music for the Marathi film Naṭarang. Their music for Naṭarang used traditional Marathi folk music styles.

They also composed music for many Hindi films. These include Singham and Bol Bachchan (starring Ajay Devgan), and Agneepath and Brothers (produced by Karan Johar). They even contributed music to the film PK, which starred Aamir Khan.

In 2016, they worked on Nagraj Manjule's film Sairat. This film became the only Marathi film to earn over 1 billion rupees. They also composed music for its remakes, Manasu Mallige (in Kannada) and Dhadak (in Hindi). They also produced the Marathi film Jaundya Na Balasaheb. They composed music for Tumbbad, Thugs of Hindostan, Mauli, and Zero. Their song "Mere Naam Tu" from Zero got 18 million views on YouTube in just 24 hours.

In 2021, they were honored as 'Composer of the Decade' at the Mirchi Music Awards. This was for their work on Agneepath (Hindi) and Sairat (Marathi).

They continue to create music for both Hindi and Marathi films. In Bollywood, they worked on Super 30, Panipat, and songs for Tanhaji, Jhund, and Ram Setu. In 2022, they released very popular songs for the Marathi films Chandramukhi and Ved. Their music for Chandramukhi won them many awards. Songs like "Sukh Kalale" and "Ved Lavlay" from Ved also became huge hits.

In 2023, they composed songs for Jaggu Ani Juliet, but the music did not get much attention. However, their work in Maharashtra Shahir was very successful. The song "Baharla Ha Madhumas" became a hit and won them another Filmfare Marathi Award. Later that year, their song "Jai Shri Ram" from the film Adipurush was praised for its unique style.

In 2024, the song Baby Bring It On from the film Madgaon Express was released. It was a remake and received mixed reviews. Currently, they are working on a song for the upcoming film Yek Number.

Discography

Awards and Recognition

See also

In Spanish: Ajay-Atul para niños

• List of Indian film music directors