Background and career
Anwar Sardar "Anu" Malik (born 2 November 1960) is an Indian music composer, singer, music arranger and score composer. He is the recipient of a National Film Award and three Filmfare Awards, who primarily composes music for the Hindi film industry. He is the son of Sardar Malik, a film composer active from the 1950s to the 1970s, and is noted for his melodious and classical-based compositions. As a music director, he has composed music for various genres of films, and has created several commercially successful songs for the Hindi (Bollywood) film music industry. Malik is also known for his use of the tabla in some of his songs, including "Woh Ladki Jo" and "Hum Toh Deewane" from the film Baadshah, "Tumhe Jo Maine Dekha" from the film Main Hoon Na, Taal Pe Jab" and "Mere Humsafar" from the film Refugee, "Eli Re Eli" from Yaadein and "Baazigar O Baazigar" from the film Baazigar. Malik's song "Chamma Chamma" from China Gate was featured in the Hollywood film Moulin Rouge! starring Nicole Kidman. Malik served as a judge on Indian Idol from its first season in 2004 until 2018 when he left after a "Me Too" allegation. He returned as a judge for the show's 11th season in 2019, but left after three weeks, and was one of the judges for part of the 12th season. He was also a judge for the children's reality singing show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li'l Champs 2022.
Malik began his career as a music director in 1975 for comedian-turned-filmmaker Mohan Choti's film Hunterwali 77 (1977) with the stage name Annu Malik. Malik's father Sardar Malik composed most of the songs for the film, with Anu, who was then 16–17 years old, composing only one song "Zulm O Sitam Par Itrane Wale" for the film, sung by Asha Bhosle and written by his maternal uncle Hasrat Jaipuri. The soundtrack went unnoticed but it marked the beginning of his lengthy association with Bhosle. He would then get his first full soundtrack for Harmesh Malhotra's film Poonam (1981) on the recommendation of playback singer Shailendra Singh, whom Malik befriended after listening to the music of Bobby. The film failed at the box office but some songs were noticed, namely "Main Hoon Haseena", "Mohabbat Rang Laye Gi" and "Aa Zara Mere Humnasheen", featuring his rare collaborations with singer Mohammad Rafi, who passed away within days of recording the songs. Malik continued his collaborations with Harmesh Malhotra with films Aapas Ki Baat (1981) and Mangal Pandey (1982). He also composed music for other films like Paagal Premee (1982) and Ek Jaan Hai Hum (1983) but the films were box office failures. A few songs of the latter film "Aasmaan Pe Likh Doon" and "Yaad Teri Aayegi" received some recognition because of Shabbir Kumar. In 1983, Malik sang his first song as a playback singer "Beete Huay Lamhe" for Nigahen (1983), with music composed by his father Sardar Malik. Anu Malik gained his first exposure in 1984 with Aasmaan, which featured catchy tracks such as "Banke Nazar Dil Ki Zubaan" rendered by Kishore Kumar and "Time Bomb" rendered by Asha Bhosle and Kishore Kumar, which received critical acclaim. His next soundtrack for the film Sohni Mahiwal released later that year was a huge success and earned him his first nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director. Malik began getting more recognition and more work after his success in 1984 as he got more soundtracks throughout the mid-1980s but was unable to find a footing in Bollywood due to the rule of Bappi Lahiri, R.D. Burman, Kalyanji-Anandji and Laxmikant-Pyarelal at the time.
During his struggle phase, Malik composed his first Indipop album Jadoo (1985) featuring the vocals of playback singer Alisha Chinai as her first private album. Later that year, Malik got his first mainstream breakthrough with Manmohan Desai's film Mard, and songs like "Maa Sheronwali", "Sun Rubiya" "Buri Nazar Wale' and "Mard Taangewala" for which got Malik noticed in Bollywood for the first time. As a result, Malik received more offers to compose songs for films. During this phase, his song "Apno Me Mai Begana" from Begaana became a hit and gained a cult following. In 1987, Malik began full-time playback singing while recording a song "Julie Julie" for Jeete Hain Shaan Se when Kishore Kumar did not show up for recording the song. Kumar's son Amit Kumar was then called for the song but he did not arrive as well and then the film's lead actor Mithun Chakraborty recommended Malik to sing the song. He recorded two more songs for the soundtrack, "Salaam Seth Salaam Seth" and "Rab Roothe Roothe". This soundtrack also marked the first time that he collaborated with Kumar Sanu to record a version of "Julie Julie" with Kavita Krishnamurthy which was not included in the film. However, it would lead to several collaborations with Sanu in the future. "Julie Julie" became a huge hit and the film emerged as a major success at the box office. He had many soundtracks throughout the following years without much success. He earned acclaim for his music in Awaargi (1990) which featured the famous ghazal "Chamakte Chand Ko Toota Hua" sung by Ghulam Ali. Malik originally composed music in the same style as other music composers during the 1970s and 1980s. However, in 1990, Malik began changing his music style on the recommendation of Anuradha Paudwal which would become his trademark style. Early songs in that trademark style included "Maa Hi Mandir" by Mohammad Aziz and the hit song "Aaine Ke Sau Tukde" by Kumar Sanu from Maa (1991), "Hum Nahin To Tum Nahin" and "Teri Zulfein Shaam Si Roshan" from Ramgarh Ke Sholay (1991), "Jaanam Jaanam Jaanam" from Virodhi (1992) and "Choone Se Tere" from Dil Ne Ikraar Kiya (1992). Other hit songs during that period included "Dil Diwane Ka Dola Dildaar Ke Liye" from Tahalka (1992) and "Is Pyar Se Meri Taraf Na Dekho" from Chamatkar (1992). It was during this era that he also modified his name to Anu Malik.
The year 1993 marked a turning point in Malik's career as it was the most successful year of his career at that time. His first release that year was Phool Aur Angaar which was a huge success. Malik received his first taste of success with Mahesh Bhatt's television film Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee which featured superhit songs including "Badalon Mein Chup Raha Hai", "Dil Mein Sanam Ki Soorat" and "Tere Dar Par Sanam Chale Aaye". The success of the film was followed by Bhatt's directorial Sir which had hit songs such as "Sun Sun Barsaat Ki Dhun" and "Yeh Ujli Chandni". His final release of that year was Baazigar which was a huge success with the songs "Baazigar O Baazigar", "Kitabein Bahut Si", "Chhupana Bhi Nahi Aata", "Aye Mere Humsafar" and most notably "Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhein", for which Malik rapped a few lines. It sold 10 million units and became the year's best selling soundtrack for Bollywood. It catapulted Malik into stardom and established him as one of the top music directors of Bollywood alongside Nadeem-Shravan and Jatin–Lalit. Malik won his first Filmfare Award for Best Music Director for Baazigar at the 39th Filmfare Awards in 1994. In fact, Malik was the number one music director of Bollywood during 1994 after the release of Baazigar. His popular and successful soundtracks during the year included Khuddar, Imtihaan, Aa Gale Lag Jaa, Vijaypath and Main Khiladi Tu Anari. His success continued with subsequent films Naajayaz (1995), The Gambler (1995), Akele Hum Akele Tum (1995), Chaahat (1996), Diljale (1996), Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996), Daraar (1996), Krishna (1996), Virasat (1997), Judwaa (1997), Border (1997), Ishq (1997), Ankhon Mein Tum Ho (1997), China Gate (1998), Soldier (1998), Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain (1999), Jaanam Samjha Karo (1999), Biwi No.1 (1999), Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1999) and Baadshah (1999). He received further nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director for Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Akele Hum Akele Tum, Border, Soldier, Biwi No.1 and Haseena Maan Jaayegi during the decade. Meanwhile, his songs in Mahesh Bhatt's The Gentleman where criticized for being lifted from A. R. Rahman's compositions for the original Tamil film, to which Malik responded saying "I am an inspired music director. I would never lift the whole thing". Aside from composing, Malik lent his voice for his compositions on various occasions such as "Maari Gayi" from Jaanam (1992), "My Adorable Darling" and the rapping portion of "Main Khiladi Tu Anari" from Main Khiladi Tu Anari (1994) and "Oonchi Hai Building" and "East or West" from Judwaa (1997). He also released several albums in the Indipop genre which he sang by himself including Tera Chehra (1995), English album Eyes (1997), Lafda Na Ho Jaye (1997) and Ho Raha Hai Sama (1999). Malik had major success in the year 2000 with best-selling soundtracks including Hera Pheri, Badal, Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega, Aaghaaz, Fiza, Josh and Refugee. His soundtrack for Refugee was critically acclaimed as he became the only music director to win the Filmfare Special Award for his compositions in the movie at the 46th Filmfare Awards. He also received the National Film Award for Best Music Direction for Refugee at the 48th National Film Awards. In 2001, Malik had best-selling albums with Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, Yaadein, Asoka, Lajja, Ajnabee and Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai. His soundtrack for Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai earned him his twelfth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director and his soundtrack for Asoka earned him a nomination for the Screen Award for Best Music Director. His soundtracks during the year 2002 went unnoticed but he had a resurgence in 2003 with best-selling albums Ishq Vishk, Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon, Khushi, Munnabhai MBBS and Inteha and LOC: Kargil. He received critical acclaim for LOC: Kargil, which earned him his thirteenth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director and won him his first Screen Award for Best Music Direction. Malik found success with successful best-selling soundtracks such as Main Hoon Na, Murder and Fida in 2004. His soundtrack for Main Hoon Na earned critical acclaim and won Malik his second Filmfare Award for Best Music Director, his second Screen Award for Best Music Director and his first Zee Cine Award for Best Music Director.
The mid-2000s marked the rise of a new generation of music directors including A. R. Rahman, Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy, Vishal–Shekhar, Pritam Chakraborty and the amount of Malik's work began reducing after 2005 and he accepted his new role as a regular judge on the reality singing competition show Indian Idol on Sony Entertainment Television, beginning with its first season in 2004. He received a nomination for the Screen Award for Best Music Director for Jaan-E-Mann (2006). The year 2007 marked for the first time since 1983 that Malik composed soundtrack for only one film Undertrial. Malik remained prominent as a judge for various reality television shows but lost major offers as a music director in the coming years. His recent work includes Kambakkht Ishq (2009), Yamla Pagla Deewana (2011), Shootout at Wadala (2013), Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015), Begum Jaan (2017) and Sui Dhaaga (2018). He won his second Zee Cine Award for Best Music Director for Dum Laga Ke Haisha, which marked his reunion with Kumar Sanu since No Entry (2005) as well as his first collaboration with Yash Raj Films.
Malik has worked with many Indian playback singers including Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhonsle, Amit Kumar, and others. During the '80s, he mostly worked with singers such as Mohammad Aziz, Shabbir Kumar, Manhar Udhas, Suresh Wadkar, Nitin Mukesh and Anwar. Malik worked with Alisha Chinai to compose the commercially successful singles "Sexy Sexy" and "Ruk Ruk Ruk" from Vijaypath, "Chot Dil Pe Lagi" from Ishq Vishk and the songs from Love Story 2050 and Kambakkht Ishq. He also worked with Indian film lyricist Javed Akhtar in films including Border, Refugee and Umrao Jaan. He also worked with Anuradha Sriram to compose the commercially successful singles "Chunnari Chunnari" from Biwi No. 1, "Dupatta Mera" from Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai and "Chand Ko Tod Doonga" from Shaadi No. 1. Kumar Sanu, Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik have sung in most of the singles composed by Malik. This trio collaborated on films such as: Sir, Phool Aur Angaar, Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee, Vijaypath, Baazigar, Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Imtihaan, Chamatkar, Gambler, Akele Hum Akele Tum, Duplicate, Kareeb, Soldier, Aarzoo, Ajnabee, Ishq Vishk and Fida. Sanu and Yagnik were regular singers for Anu Malik and Malik created many songs individually with Sanu such as "Meri Zindagi Mein Ajnabee" from Ajnabee (2001) and "Aaine Ke Sau Tukde" from Maa (1991) and the single "Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhen" from Baazigar (1993). Following the death of music director R. D. Burman, Malik has completed music for Burman's unfinished film projects 1942: A Love Story, Gang and Ghatak.
Sources
Net-worth figure: Celebrity Net Worth (October 2026), in USD. Biography and career facts: the person's Wikipedia article and linked reporting. Snapshot date for all StarWorth figures: 28 October 2026.
