This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (June 2022) |
The Filmfare Award for Best Music Director is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to the best composer/arranger of a soundtrack. This category was first presented in 1954. Naushad Ali was the first recipient of this award for his song “Tu Ganga Ki Mauj” from the film Baiju Bawra. For the first two years, it was awarded to the composer for a particular song and not the entire album. From 1956 onwards, awards in this category have been given for the entire soundtrack. From 2017, the name of this was category changed from best music direction to music album.
| Filmfare Award for Best Music Director | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Best Performance by a Music Director |
| Country | India |
| Presented by | Filmfare |
| First awarded | Naushad Ali, Baiju Bawra “Tu Ganga Ki Mauj” (1954) |
| Currently held by | Pritam, Vishal Mishra, Harshavardhan Rameshwar, Shreyas Puranik, Ashim Kemson, Bhupinder Babbal, Jaani, Manan Bhardwaj, Animal (2024) |
| Website | Filmfare Awards |
![[en] | Filmfare Award for Best Music Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:A.R.Rahman_at_57th_FF_Awards_with_Award.jpg)
| Category | Name | Superlative | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most Awards | A. R. Rahman | 10 awards | Awards resulted from 18 nominations |
| Most Nominations | Laxmikant Pyarelal | 25 nominations | Nominations resulted in 7 awards |
| Pritam | Nominations resulted in 6 awards | ||
| Most Nominations In 10 Years (2008–2018) | 14 nominations | Nominations resulted in 5 awards | |
| Most Nominations without a Win | Jatin–Lalit | 12 nominations | – |
- A. R. Rahman leads the winners with 10 awards, followed by the music director duo of Shankar–Jaikishan, who have 9. Laxmikant Pyarelal and Pritam has the most nominations with 25, followed by Shankar–Jaikishan with 20, A. R. Rahman with 18, and R. D. Burman with 17.
- Shankar–Jaikishan holds the record for the highest number of consecutive-year nominations (9), having been nominated for the award every year from 1959 till 1967, winning the award four times from 10 total nominations.
- Pritam received six consecutive nominations between 2013 and 2018, and won in 2013, 2017 and 2018.
- Laxmikant Pyarelal and A. R. Rahman have the distinction of winning the award four times in a row between 1978 and 1981 and between 2007 and 2010, respectively. Those who have won the award thrice in a row are Shankar–Jaikishan (1971–1973) and Nadeem Shravan (1991–1993).
- Pritam holds the record for the highest number of nominations in a single year, with 4 in 2024, winning the award for Animal (2023) jointly with Vishal Mishra, Harshavardhan Rameshwar, Shreyas Puranik, Ashim Kemson, Bhupinder Babbal and Jaani, while also being nominated solely for Dunki, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, and Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar. There have been three instances when a music director (or duo) were nominated thrice in the same year – Bappi Lahiri in 1985, Laxmikant Pyarelal in 1986 and A. R. Rahman in 2009.
- Usha Khanna, Sneha Khanwalkar, Parampara Thakur and Jasleen Royal are the only four women to have ever been nominated for this award. They were nominated for their work in the Souten (1983), Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), Kabir Singh (2020) and Shershaah (2022) respectively. Parampara Thakur won the award, becoming the first woman to do so. In 2022, Jasleen Royal became the second woman to win this.
- Jatin–Lalit has never won this award after getting 12 nominations from (1992–2006), followed by Vishal–Shekhar who have yet to win the award after getting 10 nominations from (2005–2023).
- Anu Malik won a Special Award in 2001 for the film Refugee.
| Winner | Number of wins | Number of nominations | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. R. Rahman | 10 | 18 | 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 |
| Shankar–Jaikishan | 9 | 20 | 1957, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973 |
| Laxmikant–Pyarelal | 7 | 25 | 1965, 1968, 1970, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981 |
| Pritam | 6 | 2013, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2023, 2024 | |
| Nadeem–Shravan | 4 | 10 | 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997 |
| R. D. Burman | 3 | 17 | 1983, 1984, 1995 |
| Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy | 14 | 2004, 2006, 2015 | |
| S. D. Burman | 2 | 8 | 1955, 1974 |
| Amaal Malik | 2016, 2020 | ||
| Khayyam | 6 | 1977, 1982 | |
| Mithoon | 6 | 2014, 2020 | |
| Ankit Tiwari | 5 | 2014, 2016 | |
| Anu Malik | 2 | 1994, 2005 | |
| Vishal Mishra | 2020, 2024 | ||
| Jaani | 2022, 2024 |
Multiple music directors (or duo/trio) have received multiple Best Music Director nominations.
| Artist | Number of Nominations | Wins |
|---|---|---|
| Laxmikant–Pyarelal | 25 | 7 |
| Pritam | 6 | |
| Shankar–Jaikishan | 20 | 9 |
| A. R. Rahman | 18 | 10 |
| R. D. Burman | 17 | 3 |
| Anu Malik | 14 | 2 |
| Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy | 13 | 3 |
| Jatin–Lalit | 12 | 0 |
| Vishal–Shekhar | 11 | 0 |
| Nadeem–Shravan | 10 | 4 |
| Rajesh Roshan | 2 |
In the list below, the winner of the award for each year is shown first, followed by the other nominees. The films are listed by the years when the award was presented. The announcing of nominations became regular after 1956.
| ‡ | Indicates the winner |
|---|
| Year | Photos of winners | Music Director | Film |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 (1st) | ![[en] | Filmfare Award for Best Music Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Naushadsaab1.jpg) | Naushad Ali ‡ | Baiju Bawra (for the song “Tu Ganga Ki Mauj”) |
| 1955 (2nd) | ![[en] | Filmfare Award for Best Music Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sachin_Dev_Burman_2007_stamp_of_India.jpg) | S. D. Burman ‡ | Taxi Driver (for the song “Jaaye To Jaaye Kahan”) |
| 1956 (3rd) | ![[en] | Filmfare Award for Best Music Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hemant_Kumar_2016_stamp_of_India.jpg) | Hemant Kumar ‡ | Nagin |
| C. Ramchandra | Azaad | ||
| Naushad Ali | Uran Khatola | ||
| 1957 (4th) | ![[en] | Filmfare Award for Best Music Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Shankar_Jaikishan_2013_stamp_of_India.jpg) | Shankar–Jaikishan ‡ | Chori Chori |
| O. P. Nayyar | C.I.D. | ||
| 1958 (5th) | ![[en] | Filmfare Award for Best Music Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:OP_Nayyar_2013_stamp_of_India.jpg) | O. P. Nayyar ‡ | Naya Daur |
| C. Ramchandra | Asha | ||
| 1959 (6th) | ![[en] | Filmfare Award for Best Music Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SalilChowdhury1002.jpg) | Salil Chowdhury ‡ | Madhumati |
| O. P. Nayyar | Phagun | ||
| Shankar–Jaikishan | Yahudi |
![[en] | Filmfare Award for Best Music Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rajesh_Roshan.jpg)
| Year | Photos of winners | Music Director | Film | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 (27th) | ![[en] | Filmfare Award for Best Music Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Laxmikant_Pyarelal.jpg) | Laxmikant–Pyarelal ‡ | Sargam | |
| Khayyam | Noorie | |||
| Laxmikant–Pyarelal | Jaani Dushman | |||
| Rajesh Roshan | Kaala Patthar | |||
| Mr. Natwarlal | ||||
| 1981 (28th) | Laxmikant–Pyarelal ‡ | Karz | ||
| Kalyanji–Anandji | Qurbani | |||
| Khayyam | Thodisi Bewafaii | |||
| Laxmikant–Pyarelal | Aasha | |||
| R. D. Burman | Shaan | |||
| 1982 (29th) | ![[en] | Filmfare Award for Best Music Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mohammed_Zahur_Khayyam.jpg) | Khayyam ‡ | Umrao Jaan | |
| Bappi Lahiri | Armaan | |||
| Laxmikant–Pyarelal | Ek Duuje Ke Liye | |||
| R. D. Burman | Love Story | |||
| Shiv–Hari | Silsila | |||
| 1983 (30th) | ![[en] | Filmfare Award for Best Music Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rahul_Dev_Burman.jpg) | R. D. Burman ‡ | Sanam Teri Kasam | |
| Bappi Lahiri | Namak Halaal | |||
| Khayyam | Bazaar | |||
| Laxmikant–Pyarelal | Prem Rog | |||
| Ravi | Nikaah | |||
| 1984 (31st) | R. D. Burman ‡ | Masoom | ||
| Khayyam | Razia Sultan | |||
| Laxmikant–Pyarelal | Hero | |||
| R. D. Burman | Betaab | |||
| Usha Khanna | Souten | |||
| 1985 (32nd) | ![[en] | Filmfare Award for Best Music Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bappi_Lahiri.png) | Bappi Lahiri ‡ | Sharaabi | |
| Anu Malik | Sohni Mahiwal | |||
| Bappi Lahiri | Kasam Paida Karne Wale Ki | |||
| Tohfa | ||||
| R. D. Burman | Jawaani | |||
| 1986 (33rd) | ![[en] | Filmfare Award for Best Music Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:RavindraJain.jpg) | Ravindra Jain ‡ | Ram Teri Ganga Maili | |
| Laxmikant–Pyarelal | Meri Jung | |||
| Pyaar Jhukta Nahin | ||||
| Sur Sangham | ||||
| R. D. Burman | Saagar | |||
| 1987 | NO CEREMONY | |||
| 1988 | NO CEREMONY | |||
| 1989 (34th) | – | Anand–Milind ‡ | Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak | |
| Laxmikant–Pyarelal | Tezaab | |||
| Rajesh Roshan | Khoon Bhari Maang | |||
![[en] | Filmfare Award for Best Music Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Anu_Malik_2009_-_still_88210_crop.jpg)
![[en] | Filmfare Award for Best Music Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:A._R._Rahman.jpg)
![[en] | Filmfare Award for Best Music Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy_Raymond_Weil.jpg)
![[en] | Filmfare Award for Best Music Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jatin_and_Lalit_Pandit.jpg)
![[en] | Filmfare Award for Best Music Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pritam_Chakraborty_at_the_5th_GiMA_Awards.jpg)
![[en] | Filmfare Award for Best Music Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ankit_Tiwari_Filmfare.jpg)
![[en] | Filmfare Award for Best Music Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mithoon_at_the_4th_Gionnee_Star_Global_Indian_Music_Academy_Awards.jpg)
![[en] | Filmfare Award for Best Music Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jeet_Gannguli_image.crop.jpg)
![[en] | Filmfare Award for Best Music Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Amaal_Mallik.jpg)
![[en] | Filmfare Award for Best Music Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Meet_bros_award.jpg)
![[en] | Filmfare Award for Best Music Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sanjay_Leela_Bhansali.jpg)
- A^ :Naushad won the 1954 award for the song “Tu Ganga Ki Mauj”, sung by Mohammed Rafi, and not the entire album.[1]
- B^ :S. D. Burman won the 1955 award for the song “Jaye To Jaye Kahan”, sung by Talat Mahmood, and not the entire album.
- ^ “Naushad: Composer of the Century”. Rediff.com. 8 May 2006. Retrieved 1 December 2018.