We had to say no to a big film this year: Salim Merchant

For composer Salim Merchant, 2025 was marked by both scale and difficult professional choices. While the composer duo Salim–Sulaiman, released 103 songs this year, one of the most challenging moments came when they had to turn down a Bollywood film due to time constraints.“This year, there was something I had to say no to, and that was very tough,” Salim tells Mumbai Mirror. “I was offered a big film, but they wanted it done very quickly, and I simply didn’t have the time. We couldn’t work with their deadlines. I was already stretched with albums, individual songs, and Salim–Sulaiman Live. While it was difficult, it was a necessary call,” he says.The decision allowed the duo to focus on what became one of their most productive years. “We created 103 songs this year,” Salim says, adding that the challenge lay in maintaining quality. “The pressure was to ensure that every release met a certain musical and artistic standard. We didn’t want to compromise simply to say we worked across multiple genres - pop, devotional, ghazal and regional folk.”A major focus this year was the sixth season of their album Bhoomi, which centres on India’s cultural diversity. “We wanted this season to stand out,” Salim says, describing the scale of the project. The album features artistes across genres, including Arijit Singh, Shankar Mahadevan, Hariharan, Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghoshal, Papon, and younger voices such as Burrah, OAFF and Prithvi Gandharva.“Coordinating so many artistes, recording songs, shooting music videos and shaping a live experience was challenging. I was constantly moving between concerts, studio sessions and shoots,” he says.Looking ahead, Salim says the duo is preparing to expand its work in the southern music industry. “Next year, we’re focusing on Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu projects, alongside our live shows and ongoing releases,” he adds.