Sohail Sen facts for kids

Sohail Sen (born June 24, 1984) is a talented Indian film composer, musician, and singer. He is well-known for his work in Bollywood movies. He creates the music that makes movies exciting and memorable.

Sohail started his career as a film composer with the movie Sirf in 2008. Later, he became very famous for his music in What's Your Raashee? (2009). He also composed popular songs for movies like Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, Ek Tha Tiger, and Gunday.

Early Life and Musical Journey

Sohail comes from a family of musicians. His father, Sameer Sen, and his paternal grandfather, Shri Shambhu Sen, were also famous in the music world. Sohail is the fourth generation of his family to work in films. His family's musical background greatly influenced him.

Sohail started learning music when he was just six years old. He first learned to play the tabla. Then, he learned many other instruments, including the piano and various percussion instruments. He also studied classical music with his grandfather.

Sohail began directing music at a young age. When he was thirteen, he composed music for a TV movie called Roshni. A famous singer, Kavita Krishnamurthy, sang for this film. After this, he worked with his father for nine years. This helped him improve his skills as a film composer.

Sohail Sen's Film Career

In 2008, Sohail officially started his career as a film composer. His first movie was Sirf. However, this film's release was delayed, and its music did not get much attention. He also composed music for The Murderer (2009), which faced similar delays.

Breakthrough with What's Your Raashee?

Sohail's career changed in 2009. Director Ashutosh Gowariker asked him to compose music for his film What's Your Raashee?. Gowariker initially wanted another famous composer, A. R. Rahman. But Rahman was busy with Slumdog Millionaire. So, Gowariker looked for someone who could dedicate all their time to his film.

Sohail had always wanted to work with Ashutosh Gowariker. His father knew the director, so Sohail asked his father to arrange a meeting. Sohail played some of his tunes for Gowariker. The director liked what he heard. A few weeks later, Gowariker called Sohail and offered him the project. It was a dream come true for Sohail.

The movie needed 13 songs. There was one song for each of the 12 zodiac signs. Then, there was a final song where the main character makes his choice. Creating 13 different songs was a huge challenge. Each song had to fit a specific zodiac sign. Then, the final song had to combine elements from all 12. Sohail took this as a challenge. He worked on the music for over a year and a half.

The soundtrack for What's Your Raashee? was released in August 2009. Critics praised the music, even though the movie itself did not do well at the box office. Bollywood Hungama called the album "interestingly done." BBC Music said Sohail "can successfully compete with the best in Bollywood." Sohail not only composed the music but also sang most of the songs.

Continued Success in Bollywood

In 2010, Ashutosh Gowariker worked with Sohail again. This time, it was for the historical film Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey. This movie was about the Chittagong armoury raid of 1930. The music for this film also received good reviews.

In 2011, Sohail had a big release with Yash Raj Films. This was for the movie Mere Brother Ki Dulhan. The music was loved by both critics and the public. Songs like "Dhunki," "Isq Risk," and the title track became huge hits.

In 2012, Sohail became the music director for Salman Khan's film Ek Tha Tiger. He replaced another composer, Pritam, who was busy. The soundtrack for Ek Tha Tiger received excellent reviews.

In 2014, Sohail worked with director Ali Abbas Zafar again for the movie Gunday. This film starred Ranveer Singh, Arjun Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, and Irrfan Khan. Sohail composed the music for the Hindi version of Gunday. Another composer, Bappi Lahiri, composed the Bengali songs for the film. This was the first time Bappi Lahiri worked with Yash Raj Films.

Awards and Recognition

Sohail Sen has been recognized for his musical talent. He has received nominations for several prestigious awards in the Indian film industry.