MUMBAI: Vishal Dadlani – the music composer (as one-half of Vishal and Shekhar) behind 'Bluffmaster', 'Tees Maar Khan', 'Chennai Express', 'Ra.One', 'Golmaal' and over forty other movies – did not possess a great amount of technical knowledge about music. That’s right. The then-teenager joined a band after learning four basic chords. After learning this fact, the singer-songwriter’s success involving composing for banners like Balaji Motion Pictures, Dharma Productions, and Excel Entertainment sounds pretty impressive and the Bandra-based music director has not even completed two decades in Bollywood. Today, the outspoken musicians’ musician Vishal Dadlani turned 43.

The latest notable Dadlani contribution occurred through the rap verse from the title song of ‘Udta Punjab’ and composing for ‘Sultan’, almost seventeen years after his first. But mainstream movie music – not that Dadlani was counting on it – happened a bit later. “Music was invented to get laid”, declared Dadlani on the series-opener of ‘The Dewarists’, that revealed some of the composer’s unheard stories. Dadlani takes extreme pride in his work, and rightfully so. And he ensures his associates possess similar attitude too. Probably, that is why, the vocalist of ‘Pentagram’ finds immense comfort with the members of the two-decade old ‘electro-rock’ act. And probably, the compatibility extends to his partner for all-things-Bollywood - Shekhar Rajwani.

Pentagram before the release of its debut album

Not only has Dadlani managed to place Pentagram in the league of ‘finest Indian rock acts ever’, but the musician finds himself sharing the space with a couple of the other finest acts that he once discovered. Spotting Raghu Dixit in a bar to executing the composition that eventually provided Kailash Kher the ‘voice’ in Bollywood, Dadlani continues to remain the consistent source of inspiration for hundreds of ‘indie’ bands emerging from the metropolitan live venues and beyond. Dadlani has already left an impression onto anybody who considers music composition as a firm option for career with the launch of a record label – VLT – that allows him to handpick and promote young talents. Walk into any live music venue and ask the performer about Dadlani, regardless of the young talent’s preference towards genre or style of music, you would end up receiving praises directed towards the charismatic composer.


Every live performance involving Vishal Dadlani (credits: Robin Photography)

Dadlani’s versatility can be judged on the basis of how effortlessly he can jump between the two ‘spaces’ – alternative music and mainstream – and produce an output that would remain relevant for the respective audience two decades later. Yes, ‘Sheila Ki Jawaani’ would be relevant in 2030, deal with it. But, on the other hand, so would be ‘Voice’; thanks to his college life that involved listening to the R.D. Burmans followed by the Led Zeppelins. 

Dadlani has had a decorated career so far, with the number of awards just exceeding the number of his tweets against the BJP politicians. Dadlani has won awards as a composer and playback singer, and in one rare case, an award for a song that he did not even sing. During his early days, Dadlani was mistaken for Sonu Nigam and Shankar Mahadevan, but not many would let the ‘striking similarities’ between the three personalities confuse themselves. The musical journey and the success that followed coupled with his off-late rant on Twitter concerning national politics made Dadlani a household name. And, a virtual enemy of some 34 per cent of the voting community.


                                                                                                                         (credits: Niraj Sharma)

In 2004, journalists put a microphone to Dadlani’s face and asked him ‘why should we listen to you’? Today, tabloids have to follow a particular procedure in order to gain his opinion on something as petty (read: important to the janta) as the Salman Khan-Arijit Singh saga. Because Dadlani’s opinions matter. Dadlani’s opinions on Tanmay Bhat controversy made more rounds on social media than any politician or other celebrity. Maybe, the factor prompted COLORS Infinity to rope the experienced ‘star’ to judge another season of its homegrown English singing show ‘The Stage’. Dadlani spent the 90s wishing for ‘any’ live venue to book his band, and the 43-year-old will, today, find several of his original compositions aired on leading English music channel’s special programme – ‘Vh1 Birthday Bumps’. This evolution fairly defines his success.

With an aggressive political stand and a proud musical past, Dadlani prefers to speak than skip and the attitude did not stop him calling the then-PM candidate Narendra Modi ‘a murderer’ on Twitter. Sure, Dadlani will continue to be in the logger-heads with particular sections of the political scene, but the continuous dedicated flow of music across genres, styles and spaces would only make more impact among his followers and the industry – as a whole.

Dadlani's statement on the Section 377

Dadlani has kept mum on the Sona Mohapatra issue so far. Fame comes with a price, but if Dadlani’s previous examples of overcoming through uncomfortable positions count, then the ‘most opinionated and outspoken’ celebrity according to Twitter will once again find a ‘Voice’ and take a stand. Or, maybe not. Perhaps, Dadlani has outgrown himself as a musician or celebrity. Dadlani does not believe in God, but he’s a stubborn believer of his opinions. And Radioandmusic.com hopes the opinions never fade away for the years to come.

No matter how clichéd the statement sounds, but there would be no way to end any Dadlani-tribute of sorts without his finest creation so far (boosted through a fan-made video)