# Viju Shah

Vijay Shah (born 5 June 1959), popularly known as Viju Shah, is an Indian composer in the Hindi film industry. He is the son of Kalyanji Virji Shah, one-half of the composer duo Kalyanji–Anandji.
Shah has composed soundtracks for over 20 Hindi films including Tridev (1989), Vishwatma (1992), Mohra (1994), Gupt: The Hidden Truth (1997) and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998). He won the Filmfare Award for Best Background Score in 1998 for his work in Gupt: The Hidden Truth.

## Career
### Early career and breakthrough (1985–1992)

Shah made his Bollywood debut in 1985 with Rajiv Rai's action thriller Yudh, under the name Vijay Shah. It marked the first of several collaborations with Rai.
In 1989, Shah achieved his breakthrough with the soundtrack for Rai's musical action thriller Tridev. The film's soundtrack included the song "Tirchi Topiwale," which earned him his first nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director and inspired a 1998 film of the same name.

### Rise to prominence (1992–1997)

In 1992, following the success of Tridev, Shah composed the soundtrack for Rai's action thriller Vishwatma and horror thriller Junoon. The following year, he composed the score for the action drama Lootere (1993), which earned him his first nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Background Score.
In 1994, Shah composed the soundtrack for Rai's action thriller Mohra, featuring songs like "Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast" and "Tip Tip Barsa Pani." The music album became the second highest-selling Bollywood soundtrack album of the year (after Hum Aapke Hain Koun), having sold more than 8 million units. The film earned Shah his second nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director. That same year, he composed the background score for Rajkumar Santoshi's comedy Andaz Apna Apna, which earned him his second nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Background Score.
His work continued in the musical score for the romantic drama Tere Mere Sapne (1996), produced by Amitabh Bachchan's ABCL. The film's soundtrack earned Shah his third nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director.
Shah and Rai next collaborated on the murder mystery thriller Gupt: The Hidden Truth (1997). The film's soundtrack emerged as a major commercial success, becoming the third highest-selling Bollywood soundtrack album of the year (after Dil To Pagal Hai and Pardes). It also earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Background Score, in addition to his fourth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director.

### Continued success and later work (1998–present)

In 1998, Shah composed for David Dhawan's action comedy Bade Miyan Chote Miyan. The film's soundtrack includes songs like "Makhna" whose popularity contributed to the film's commercial success. It also earned him his fifth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director.
His collaboration with Rai continued with Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat (2001) and Asambhav (2004).
In 2020, Shah composed the score for the Netflix crime drama film Class of '83.

## Awards

| Year | Award | Category | Film | Result |
| 1990 | 35th Filmfare Awards | Best Music Director | Tridev | Nominated |
| 1994 | 39th Filmfare Awards | Best Background Score | Lootere | Nominated |
| 1995 | 40th Filmfare Awards | Best Music Director | Mohra | Nominated |
| 1995 | 40th Filmfare Awards | Best Background Score | Andaz Apna Apna | Nominated |
| 1997 | 42nd Filmfare Awards | Best Music Director | Tere Mere Sapne | Nominated |
| 1998 | 43rd Filmfare Awards | Best Music Director | Gupt: The Hidden Truth | Nominated |
| 1998 | 43rd Filmfare Awards | Best Background Score | Gupt: The Hidden Truth | Won |
| 1999 | 44th Filmfare Awards | Best Music Director | Bade Miyan Chote Miyan | Nominated |

## Discography

| Year | Name | Note(s) |
| 1985 | Yudh | Background Score |
| 1989 | Tridev | Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Background Score |
| 1990 | Muqaddar Ka Badshaah | |
| 1990 | Jaanam | Album with Amit Kumar and Sapna Mukherjee |
| 1992 | Vishwatma | All Remix "Saat Samundar Paar", "Toofan", "Dil Le Gayi Teri Bindiya", "Aankhon Mein Hai Kya" |
| 1993 | Lootere | Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Background Score |
| 1994 | Mohra | Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Music Director |
| 1994 | Andaz Apna Apna | Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Background Score |
| 1995 | Ravan Raaj | |
| 1996 | Tere Mere Sapne | Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Music Director |
| 1997 | Prithvi | |
| 1997 | Gupt | Won – Filmfare Award for Best Background Score Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Music Director |
| 1997 | Aar Ya Paar | |
| 1998 | Vinashak | |
| 1998 | Humse Badhkar Kaun | |
| 1998 | Bade Miyan Chote Miyan | Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Music Director |
| 2000 | Bulandi | |
| 2000 | Beti No. 1 | Also playback singer |
| 2001 | Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat | |
| 2001 | Hadh | |
| 2001 | Kasam | |
| 2003 | Dhund | |
| 2003 | Kaise Kahoon Ke Pyaar Hai | |
| 2003 | Tujhe Meri Kasam | |
| 2004 | Asambhav | |
| 2004 | K. Street Pali Hill | |
| 2005 | Shikhar | |
| 2006 | Yun Hota Toh Kya Hota | |
| 2007 | Victoria No. 203 | |
| 2011 | Loot | Background score |
| 2015 | Aa Te Kevi Dunniya | Gujarati film |
| 2016 | Julie 2 | |
| 2020 | Class of '83 | Background score |