Say Salaam to Vishal-Shekhar

Meet the duo behind the hit soundtracks from films like Dus and Salaam Namaste.

When the Salaam Namaste ringtone screams into your ear from Shekhar Ravjiani's mobile, it's understandable. True, this ringtone is being downloaded by thousands of other people in this mobile-frenzied nation, but for Shekhar it's much more special.

After all, he's the man behind this composition "" along with his rhyme partner Vishal Dadlani. Together as Vishal-Shekhar, the duo have been a strong team since 1999 but have hit the bull's eye with the Yash Raj Films venture Salaam Namaste.

Their music-making tempo has just increased, proof of which lies in some of the more important filmmakers and producers who are coming to them with their projects. On the floors are films like Bluff Master, starring John Abraham and Abhishek Bachchan, and Home Delivery, starring Boman Irani and Vivek Oberoi. There's also Ramesh Sippy's Taxi Nau Do Gyarah and some more films that are in the process of being signed.

In fact, 21 original tracks have been created for Home Delivery alone and Vishal-Shekhar are visibly excited about this project. "Yeah, we have some important films!" confirms a relaxed and smiling Shekhar. The stupendous musical success of Salaam Namaste is just the beginning, he feels. Strangely, he's quick to take criticism and brickbats rather than compliments. I compliment him for the title track of Dus which is almost like an anthem, with even Big B mentioning it in one of the episodes of KBC II.

"C'mon, that's because of Abhishek Bachchan, Zayed Khan and the choreography by Bosco Caeser.

Also the way it's been shot and directed, the entire quality of the product is outstanding, the entire package...." I interrupt, "... But it's your song, your creation, if it weren't for the melody..." He cuts me off midway, "Yes, but I'd still say it's the overall package." And what does he think of Salaam Namaste's music? "Obviously we love the score, but once I saw the film I'd rate the picturisation higher than the music."

This could be the secret of their success: that they consciously try and see the bigger picture in their heads "" how the song will look, who will choreograph it and direct it. Shekhar's quick to clarify. "You can't be always lucky to know how your music will sound and look on screen but, yes, as far as possible, we work with people who we can identify with and be comfortable with."

It's a point that could explain perhaps why Vishal-Shekhar have ended up working with newcomers almost every time. In fact, Shekhar feels the reason behind them not just surviving Planet Bollywood but also embracing it and settling in comfortably is because they've worked mostly with newcomers who are very focussed, undeterred by box-office pressures and completely devoted to their films.

"There's always been a connection with people who we've worked with. ...it's like they've understood what we stand for and vice versa," he lets in. It's an understanding that has cemented the Vishal-Shekhar partnership for a little over seven years now. Incidentally, Vishal is also with Indian rock band Pentagram and it was during a Navy Ball show in Mumbai that the duo met. "It was the worst rock show on the face of the earth ever but I went with the sole purpose of looking at the pretty gals there," says Shekhar.

After that, they met each other at a sound studio in Mumbai where both had individually started recording for Raj Kaushal's debut vehicle Pyar Mein Kabhi Kabhi that also marked the debut of Rinki Khanna, Sanjay Suri and Dino Morea as actors. It was at this time that they decided to forge a partnership and work together.

Is it easy to work with each other? "Sure, we might disagree when a certain melody is being made. But honestly, I feel something ethereal happens when a melody clicks: I feel the entire room fill up with energy and we both just know that we've got it right."

But with the famous partnership of Jatin-Lalit breaking up recently due to financial differences according to sources, is Shekhar insecure? He clarifies "We're very comfortable with each other. In fact, had lure of money been the only factor, we would have been fighting already." He feels their best investment was to set-up a studio of their own in Mumbai.

"It's something we both had decided very early into the profession and I strongly feel it was one of the best decisions we could've ever taken." Called Studio Ist Floor, a name Sujoy Ghosh made up during Jhankaar Beats, it's the den for the duo to sit, stare into empty space, create melodies over cups of coffee and essentially breathe easy and enjoy their work. For the rest of us, it's the womb from where a select number of chart-busters have been and will be born.