The man who ruled the Hindi music industry in the 90`s, Anu Malik has given Bollywood hits like `Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhein` from Baazigar, `Oonchi Hai Building` from Judwaa, and `Garam Chai Ki Pyaali` from Har Dil Jo Pyaar Karega. The National Film Award-winning music director is also a celebrated television personality with him having judged various reality talent competitions, the Indian Idol series being the popular one of the many. In a career spanning over 40 decades, some of Malik`s best compositions are Akele Hum Akele Tum, Virasat, Refugee, Main Hoon Na, and Dum Laga Ke Haisha.

Early Life
Born Anwar Sardaar Malik on 2nd November 1960, Anu Malik is the son of music director Sardar Malik and his wife, Kausar Jahan. Anu grew up in Mumbai with his brother Abu Malik and Daboo Malik, who are also music composers.

Personal Life
Anu is married to Anju Malik with whom he has two daughters; Anmol Malik, who is a singer, and Ada Malik, who studied fashion design at Parsons School of Design, New York.

Independent Projects
While Anu has composed music and sung for various Bollywood movies, he has also sung singles like Dekho Barish Ho Rahi Hai, Tera Chehra, and Dhua Dhua.

Television Career
Since its inception in 2004, Anu has been the only constant judge on the Indian singing reality television show Indian Idol through all of its seven seasons as of 2017, and shared screen space with the likes of Sunidhi Chauhan, Sonu Nigam, Farah Khan, and Alisha Chinai. An extension of this association was his appearance as the only Indian Judge on Asian Idol in 2007. In May 2009, he appeared as a judge with Farah Khan on Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega, a variety entertainment reality show.

Movie Career
As a Music Composer
Anu Malik made his debut with the 1977 action movie Hunterwali, following which he composed music for movies like Sohni Mahiwal, Mard, Dadagiri, and Maalamaal to name a few. Despite having composed for more than thirty movies, his breakthrough only came in 1993 with his work in the Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol-starrer crime thriller Baazigar, which won him a Filmfare Award for Best Music Director. Kumar Sanu bagged his fourth consecutive Filmfare Award for the song `Ye Kaali Kaali Ankhein` for which Anu sang the rap portion. The album for Mukesh Bhatt`s Sir included songs by the singers Kumar Sanu, Alka Yagnik and Kavita Krishnamurthy. His popular and acclaimed compositions through the 90s are for the movies Main Khiladi Tu Anari (1994), Virasat (1997), Border (1997), Akele Hum Akele Tum (1995), Ishq (1997), Jaanam Samjha Karo (1999), and Baadshah (1999). The music composition for the film Soldier (1998) was a major reason for the commercial success of the film, and it was the third bestselling album in 1998 after Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Dil Se... The songs `Chunari Chunari` and `Ishq Sona Hai` from the film Biwi No. 1 became major hits after the movie`s release in 1999. The following year, Anu composed the music of the action drama, Josh, after A. R. Rahman opted out of it due to other commitments.

The year 2001 meant more success to Anu since he won a Filmfare Special Award and a National Film Award for Best Music Direction for Refugee. He has directed music for hit albums like Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon (2003), Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai (2001), Aks (2001), Ajnabee (2001), Yaadein (2001), and Asoka (2001), and has been nominated several times for his work. He went on to win the Filmfare Award for Best Music Direction in 2005 for his work in Farah Khan`s Main Hoon Na. The music for the film Jaan-E-Mann released in September 2006, and the same year, he produced music for Umrao Jaan.

In 2008, he composed the music for the Priyanka Chopra and Shahid Kapoor-starrer sci-fi romance Love Story 2050. Although the movie was panned by the critics, the album was well-received. He then went on to compose music for the soundtrack of the 2011 comedy Yamla Pagla Deewana of which the song `Tinku Jiya` became a chartbuster. Talking of chartbusters, the composer also composed the music for hit songs `Aala Re Aala` and `Babli Badmaash` from the crime action Shootout at Wadala (2013), which starred John Abraham in the lead. Receiving immense praise, Anu composed the music of the romantic comedy Dum Laga Ke Haisha, which marked his reunion with singer Kumar Sanu. Anu went on to win the Zee Cine Award for Best Music Director for his work in the movie, and gave a former Indian Idol contestant, Monali Thakur, a chance to be a part of his project, as promised to her on the show by him. His other notable projects are Judwaa 2 (2017), Sui Dhaaga (2018), Paltan (2018) and Batti Gul Meter Chalu (2018). His 2021 release includes Sandeep Pinky Aur Faraar.

As a Singer
Although Anu is not a mainstream singer, he has lent his voice to a number of songs that went on to become chartbusters, including songs like `Oonchi Hai Building` and `East or West India` from the movie Judwaa, the rap portion of `Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhen" of Baazigar, `Ek Garam Chai Ki Pyaali` from Har Dil Jo Pyaar Karega, `Gori Gori` of Main Hoon Naa, and `Mehbooba` from Ajnabee.