Ram Sampath (born 25 July 1977) is an Indian composer, music producer and musician, who started his career composing advertising jingles for
Mumbai
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
-based advertising industry, subsequently he started composing for pop albums like ''Tanha Dil'' (2000) by
Shaan, before composing for films like ''
Khakee
''Khakee'' (English translation: The Uniform) is a 2004 Indian Hindi-language neo-noir action thriller film directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and written by Santoshi and Sridhar Raghavan. The story revolves around an Indian police team on a mi ...
'', ''
Delhi Belly'' (2011), ''
Talaash'' (2012), ''
Raees'' etc.
He has composed music for advertising jingles for brands like
Airtel
Bharti Airtel Limited, commonly known as (d/b/a) Airtel, is an Indian multinational telecommunications services company based in New Delhi. It operates in 18 countries across South Asia and Africa, as well as the Channel Islands. Currently, ...
,
Docomo,
Thums Up
Thums Up is an Indian multinational brand of cola in India. It was introduced in 1977 to offset the withdrawal of The Coca-Cola Company from India. The brand was later bought by Coca-Cola who re-launched it in order to fight against Pepsi to c ...
,
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by PepsiCo. Originally created and developed in 1893 by Caleb Bradham and introduced as Brad's Drink, it was renamed as Pepsi-Cola in 1898, and then shortened to Pepsi in 1961.
History
Pepsi was ...
and the
Times of India
''The Times of India'', also known by its abbreviation ''TOI'', is an Indian English language, English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by The Times Group. It is the List of newspapers in India by circulation, t ...
.
Early life and background
Born to a
Tamilian
The Tamil people, also known as Tamilar ( ta, தமிழர், Tamiḻar, translit-std=ISO, in the singular or ta, தமிழர்கள், Tamiḻarkaḷ, translit-std=ISO, label=none, in the plural), or simply Tamils (), are a Dravi ...
father and
Kannadiga
The Kannada people or Kannadigaru IAST">nowiki/>IAST:_Kannadadavaru_or_Kannadigas_(English_term).html" ;"title="IAST.html" ;"title="nowiki/>IAST">nowiki/>IAST: Kannadadavaru or Kannadigas (English term)">IAST.html" ;"title="nowiki/>IAST">nowik ...
mother, Sampath grew up in
Chembur
Chembur (pronunciation: ͡ʃembuːɾ is an upmarket large suburb in central Mumbai, India.
History
Before reclamation, Chembur lay on the north-western corner of Trombay Island. It is suggested that Chembur is the same place referred to as Sa ...
, Bombay where he did his schooling from
OLPS High School. Both his parents were musically inclined, while his grandfather TV Ramanujam, was one of the founder of Shanmukhananda Hall, a cultural centre in
Sion, Mumbai
Sion ( /ˈsaːjən/; IAST: ''Śīv'' iːʋ is a neighbourhood of Mumbai. In the 17th century the village formed the boundary between Mumbai and Salsette Island. The British named it marking the end of the city. The name remained even after Mu ...
, established in 1952.
Thus his ancestral house, was frequented by leading musicians and singers of
Carnatic music
Carnatic music, known as or in the Dravidian languages, South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, an ...
. Later on, he too learnt Carnatic music for eight years. After his schooling he studied commerce at
Podar College
Rāmniranjan Ānandilāl Podār College of Commerce and Economics (Autonomous), popularly known as R.A Podar College is affiliated with the University of Mumbai, situated in Matunga, Mumbai, India. It is run by the Shikshan Prasarak Mandali, a ...
, Mumbai, where he played keyboard in a rock band.
Career
Non-film music
![Ram Sampath at Mtv Coke Studio Jaipur](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Ram_Sampath_at_Mtv_Coke_Studio_Jaipur.jpg)
Over the years, he has composed advertising jingles for brands like Airtel, Docomo, Thums Up, Pepsi and the Times of India, for which he composed the theme song for the "I Lead India" campaign in 2013.
In 2008, he collaborated with the Australian rock band
INXS
INXS (a word play, phonetic play on "in excess") were an Australian Rock music, rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. The band's founding members were bassist Garry Gary Beers, main composer and keyboar ...
to record Indian version of their songs, ''
God's Top Ten
"God's Top Ten" is a song by Australian band INXS, which was released as the fifth single from their eleventh studio album, ''Switch'' (November 2005). The album was the first with new lead singer, J.D. Fortune, winner of the '' Rock Star: INXS ...
'', ''
Devil's Party
"Devil's Party" is a song by Australian band INXS. It was released in May 2006 as the third single from their eleventh studio album ''Switch'', which was also the first with new lead singer J.D. Fortune, winner of the '' Rock Star: INXS'' comp ...
'', and ''
Afterglow
An afterglow in meteorology consists of several atmospheric optical phenomena, with a general definition as a broad arch of whitish or pinkish sunlight in the twilight sky, consisting of the bright segment and the purple light. Purple light mainl ...
''. Also in 2008, the
Bombay High Court
The High Court of Bombay is the high court of the states of Maharashtra and Goa in India, and the union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. It is seated primarily at Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay), and is one of the ol ...
ruled that two songs from the film, ''
Krazzy 4
''Krazzy 4'' is a 2008 Indian Hindi-language comedy thriller film directed by Jaideep Sen and produced by Rakesh Roshan. The film stars Juhi Chawla, Arshad Warsi, Irrfan Khan, Rajpal Yadav and Suresh Menon in lead roles while Shahrukh Khan and Hr ...
'', including the title track "Krazzy4" and "Break-free" plagiarised the "
hook
A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved or indented, such that it can be used to grab onto, connect, or otherwise attach itself onto another object. In a number of uses, one e ...
-phrase" from an advertisement previously composed by Sampath for
Sony Ericsson
Sony Mobile Communications Inc. ( ja, ソニーモバイルコミュニケーションズ株式会社) was a multinational telecommunications company founded on October 1, 2001, as a joint venture between Sony Group Corporation and Ericsson. I ...
. The court ordered a stay on film's release with the two songs. Subsequently, the case was settled out-of-court after producers paid Sampath , and film was released along with the songs. However the judgment was seen by "landmark decision" by legal commentators, as it set a new precedent in the Indian film industry, often plagued with plagiarism. In 2012, he composed the highly popular title track "Tera Rang Aisa" of the debut talkshow ''
Satyamev Jayate
Satyameva Jayate (, ) is a part of a ''mantra'' from the Hindu scripture '' Mundaka Upanishad''. Following the independence of India, it was adopted as the national motto of India on 26 January 1950, the day India became a republic.
It is inscr ...
'' hosted by
Aamir Khan
Mohammed Aamir Hussain Khan (; born 14 March 1965) is an Indian actor, film director and producer who works in Hindi films. Through his career spanning over 30 years, Khan has established himself as one of the most notable actors of Indian ci ...
, it had lyrics by
Prasoon Joshi
Prasoon Joshi (born 16 September 1971) is an Indian poet, writer, lyricist, screenwriter, and communication specialist and marketer. He is the CEO of McCann World group India and Chairman APAC (Asia Pacific), a subsidiary of the global marketi ...
.
He was also part of the 2013 season of the popular television music series ''
Coke Studio Coke Studio may refer to:
* ''Coke Studio'' (Pakistan), a Pakistani television series featuring live music performances.
* ''Coke Studio'' (India), an Indian television series featuring live music performances.
* ''Coke Studio Bangla'', a Banglade ...
''.
Film music
Sampath got his first break as a film score composer with ''
Let's Talk'' (2002) directed by
Ram Madhvani
Ram Madhvani is an Indian film director and producer known for his award-winning works in Hindi cinema, in the OTT space and in advertising. He is a-partner, director, and producer at Equinox Films, Ram Madhvani Films, and Equinox Virtual in par ...
. Thereafter, he composed for several films like ''
Khakee
''Khakee'' (English translation: The Uniform) is a 2004 Indian Hindi-language neo-noir action thriller film directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and written by Santoshi and Sridhar Raghavan. The story revolves around an Indian police team on a mi ...
'' (2004) and ''
Family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
'' (2006) by ''
Rajkumar Santoshi
Rajkumar Santoshi is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter of Hindi films. Having received several accolades including three National Film Awards and six Filmfare Awards, he made his directorial debut with the crime film ''Ghayal ( ...
'', besides ''
Jumbo
Jumbo (about December 25, 1860 – September 15, 1885), also known as Jumbo the Elephant and Jumbo the Circus Elephant, was a 19th-century male African bush elephant born in Sudan. Jumbo was exported to Jardin des Plantes, a zoo in Paris, and t ...
'' (2008), ''
Aagey Se Right'' (2009) and ''
Luv Ka The End
''Luv Ka The End'' () is a 2011 Hindi comedy drama film directed by Bumpy, starring Shraddha Kapoor and Taaha Shah in the lead roles. The film was the first production of Y-Films, a subsidiary of Yash Raj Films and released to mostly positive ...
'' (2011). However, he first received popular acclaim with ''
Delhi Belly'' (2011) produced by
Aamir Khan
Mohammed Aamir Hussain Khan (; born 14 March 1965) is an Indian actor, film director and producer who works in Hindi films. Through his career spanning over 30 years, Khan has established himself as one of the most notable actors of Indian ci ...
. Most notably hit track "Bhaag DK Bose Aandhi Aayi" with -rock beat, became an internet sensation ahead of the release of the film. Later he received a
Filmfare Award
The Filmfare Awards are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Hindi-language film industry of India.Al The Filmfare ceremony is one of the most famous film events in India. The awards were first introduced by th ...
nomination for the film. His next film, ''
Talaash'' (2012) was a joint production between
Farhan Akhtar
Farhan Akhtar (born 9 January 1974) is an Indian actor, director, screenwriter, playback singer, producer, and television host who works in Hindi films. Born in Mumbai to screenwriters Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani, he grew up under the influen ...
's
Excel Entertainment
Excel Entertainment is an Production company, Indian production company, founded by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar in 1999. Based in Mumbai, they mainly produce Hindi films. In 2017, they released India's first original series for Amazon ...
and Aamir Khan Productions also starring Aamir Khan as the lead. The music received positive reviews, including ''Indiaglitz'', which noted, "Once again Ram Sampath has an unmatched compilation of tracks here. Along with
Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar (born 17 January 1945) is an Indian poet, lyricist, screenwriter and political activist. Known for his work in Hindi cinema, he has won five National Film Awards, and received the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 200 ...
's fantastic lyrics they have created a masterpiece here." Thereafter, Akhtar signed him again for his next production, ''
Fukrey
''Fukrey'' () is a 2013 Indian Hindi-language comedy film, directed by Mrighdeep Singh Lamba, produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, and starring Pulkit Samrat, Manjot Singh, Varun Sharma, Ali Fazal, Priya Anand, Vishakha Singh, Pankaj ...
'', directed by Mrigdeep Singh Lamba. Fukrey was a sleeper hit and opened to good music reviews, especially for the song "Ambarsariya", an adaptation of a traditional Punjabi folk song, performed by
Sona Mohapatra
Sona Mohapatra (born 17 June 1976) is an Indian singer, music composer and lyricist. In addition to her own material, Mohapatra has recorded remixes of songs by David Bowie, with " Let's Dance", and INXS, with "Afterglow", with the latter provin ...
, his wife and regular collaborator.
Television
In 2009, he appeared as a judge of singing reality series, ''
MTV Rock On
''MTV Rock On'', or ''Rock On with MTV'', is a television show hosted on MTV India.
This show is a platform for musicians in India.
Hosts
The first season was hosted by VJ's Ayushmann Khurrana, Ayushmann and Anusha Dandekar.
and the second season ...
'' (Season 1) on
MTV India
MTV India is an Indian pay television channel specialising in music, reality and youth culture programming. It was launched in 1996 as the Indian version of MTV and is owned by Viacom 18, a joint venture operation between MTV International owne ...
, along with singer
Kailash Kher
Kailash Kher (born 7 July 1973) is an Indian music composer and singer. He sings songs with a music style influenced by Indian folk music and Sufi music. He was inspired by the classical musicians' Pandit Kumar Gandharva, Pandit Hridaynath Ma ...
and MTV VJ
Nikhil Chinapa
Nikhil Chinapa is an Indian DJ, host and festival curator, often credited with popularizing EDM among the youth in India. He is also known as the Father of Indian Dance Music for his various contributions towards revolutionising the outlook of ...
.
Personal life
Ram Sampath is married to
Sona Mohapatra
Sona Mohapatra (born 17 June 1976) is an Indian singer, music composer and lyricist. In addition to her own material, Mohapatra has recorded remixes of songs by David Bowie, with " Let's Dance", and INXS, with "Afterglow", with the latter provin ...
, a singer, who is his frequent collaborator and business partner in their music production house OmGrown Music. The couple resides in Mumbai. The couple met in 2002, while she was still working as a brand manager with
Marico
Marico Limited is an Indian multinational consumer goods company providing consumer products and services in the areas of health, beauty and wellness. With its headquarters in Mumbai, Marico is present in over 25 countries across Asia and Af ...
. They were introduced by director
Ram Madhvani
Ram Madhvani is an Indian film director and producer known for his award-winning works in Hindi cinema, in the OTT space and in advertising. He is a-partner, director, and producer at Equinox Films, Ram Madhvani Films, and Equinox Virtual in par ...
, with whom Sampath was working for ''
Let's Talk'' (2002); they married in 2005.
Discography
Films
Albums
Television
Awards and nominations
References
External links
Official Website of Ram Sampath*
Ram Sampathat
Last.fm
Last.fm is a music website founded in the United Kingdom in 2002. Using a music recommender system called "Audioscrobbler", Last.fm builds a detailed profile of each user's musical taste by recording details of the tracks the user listens to, e ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sampath, Ram
1977 births
Living people
Indian film score composers
Indian male playback singers
Indian record producers
Indian male singer-songwriters
Indian singer-songwriters
Singers from Mumbai
Tamil musicians
University of Mumbai alumni
Television composers
Jingle composers
Indian male film score composers