JAWAHAR WATTAL

Padmashri Awardee

 E-mail: jw@jawaharwattal.com

www.jawaharwattal.com

BRIEF PROFILE

• One of India’s top cultural entrepreneur, director and producer, Jawahar Wattal is best known for being a pioneer in the Indian Non-Filmi music field and for shifting the focus of the industry to Delhi.

• His passion for music led him to train in classical and instrumental western music as a teenager and to play the guitar. By the age of 21, he had already composed and sung numerous advertising jingles and performed for leading professional recording outfits like EMI India. The dream culminated in his setting up of a multi-track digitalized production house and an accredited advertising agency by the time he was 22. This Production House was the first of its kind in the capital.

• The ’90s ushered in the Indi-pop revolution.  When he ventured into the genre, he rapidly became recognized as the wonder kid and catapulted into another stratosphere.  His uncanny ability to predict what would be popular with the masses tomorrow, his professional attitude, combined with his constant quest for excellence, originality and perfection spelled early success. Firm in the belief that music is a language with no barriers, he constantly experiments and reinvents the idiom by never allowing anything to limit the scope of his work. This brings fresh new energy to each project.

WORK EXPERIENCE & MAJOR PROJECTS

Advertisements: Wattal has directed and produced more than 3,000 advertisements/jingles. They include: Ponds, Pepsi, Hero Honda, KLM, Usha Fans, Boost, Horlicks, Lufthansa, Maggi, Nescafe and Mirinda.

Brand Promotion: He has been actively engaged in brand promotions and execution of various product launches, with experience in the field of software production for multi-media applications. Additionally, he has been involved in the export of entertainment software to various countries across the world including the USA.

Instrumental in corporate image building and promotions for public and private sector companies, his clients include: NTPC, BHEL, MMTC and  STC to name a few.

Public Service Announcements: Producer of public service announcements (PSAs) on social issues - ranging from primary health care, education to sanitation and more for UNICEF.

Producer, First Earth Run event, a joint production for the United Nations.

Theater: For many years, he has been actively involved in theatre productions for private and government entities. One of his hit productions – Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri. Jaan Premeired in the U.K.

Tele-serials: Wattal has scored musical compositions for tele-serials such as: The World This Week, Tol Mol Ke Bol, Himalaya Darshan, Newsline, Sanjha Choolah, Ruba Ru, Saas Pe Sawa Saas, Quiz Time. He has also scored for musicals like Mira and telefilms such as Kanjoos Makhichoos.

In-flight music: He was an early pioneer in creating in-flight music with compositions for Indian Airlines.

Live recordings: Known for his high quality live recordings, he has recorded a veritable Whos Who of artists including: Pt. Ravi Shankar and his orchestra for the Festival of France in India, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pt. Bhim Sen Joshi, Pt. Birju Maharaj, Pt. Kelucharan Mahapatra, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma among others.

Original Albums: Wattal has composed, directed and produced 73 albums in a span of six years out of which fifteen went platinum. These have included everything from Punjabi bhangra, Rajasthani folk, Christmas carols, Sufiana repertoire and ghazals, to a pop album in Tamil.  As a result, some of today’s best-known Indi-pop superstars like Baba Sehgal, Daler Mehndi, Shweta Shetty, Hans Raj Hans and Shubha Mudgal, to name a few, were launched.

19 TOP SELLING ALBUMS

• Dilruba – Baba Sehgal

• Bolo Tara Ra Ra – Daler Mehndi

• Dardi Rab Rab – Daler Mehndi

• Ho Jayegi Balle Balle – Daler Mehndi

• Ali More Angana – Shubha Mudgal

• Deewane To Deewane Hain – Shweta Shetty

• Jogiya Khalli Balli – Bhupi Chawla

• Mahi O Mahi – Ali Haidar

• Jhanjhar – Hans Raj Hans

• Piya Se Milke Aaye Nain – Hema Sardesai

• Punjabi Munda – Various Artistes

• Mera Dil Bole Piya Piya – Poornima

• Wallah Wallah – Bhupi Chawla

• Yaari Yaari – Shankar Sahney

• Haule Haule – Ila Arun

• Naag Ishq Da Laddya – Bhupi Chawla

• Sajnaa – Hema Sardesai

• Jalsa (Re-Mix) – Master Salim

• Paaro – Malkit Singh

FILM MUSIC

Silence Please… The Dressing Room

LATEST RELEASES

INTERNATIONAL RELEASES

Divine Insprale – Aruna Sairam

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

• 1984 - Created Adcamp : Advertising Agency

• 1985 - Established A State-Of-The-Art Music Production Facility

• 1989 - Established A Music Software Export Division

• 1995-1998 - Consultant: Marketing, Artistes & Repertoire, Magnasound/Warner Brothers

• 1998-1999 - Consultant: Marketing, Artistes & Repertoire,   Archies Greetings & Gifts Ltd.

• 1999-2001 - Consultant: Marketing, Artistes & Repertoire, Tips Ltd.

• 2001-2003 - Consultant: Marketing, Artistes & Repertoire, Lucky Star Entertainment Ltd     

• Jan 2002 - Partnered With Dainik Jagran For A Half Page Editorial On Music Entitled ‘Jalsa Ghar’

• Mar 2002 - Partnered With Sunday Tribune For An Exclusive Column Entitled ‘Half Note’

• August 2005 - Established Blessings Media Pvt Ltd

• August 2007 - Partnered With Zeyba Rahman – President, World Music Institute and Harmonia Mundi, New York for an international production Entitled ‘Divine Insprale’.

• January 2008 - Advisor : Board of Advisors, World Music Institute, New York.

• July 2008 - Global Advisor-Entertainment,Spice Corp Ltd.

MAJOR AWARDS

• 2008 - National Award : Padmashri

• 2000 - Sangeet Samrat Award by the Press Club of Punjab

• 2000 - Multi-platinum Award: Mera Dil Bole Piya Piya

• 1999 - Multi-platinum Award: Mahi O Mahi

• 1999 - Multi-platinum Award: Punjabi Munda

• 1999 - Multi-platinum Award: Piya Se Milke Aaye Nain

• 1999 - Multi-platinum Award: Jhanjhar

• 1998 - Channel V Award: Best Music Composer

• 1998 - Multi-platinum Award: Ho Jayegi Balle Balle

• 1997 - Multi-platinum Award: Deewane to Deewane Hain

• 1996 - Multi-platinum Award: Ali More Angana

• 1996 - Multi-platinum Award: Dardi Rab Rab

• 1995 - Multi-platinum Award: Bolo Ta Ra Ra

EDUCATION

• B Sc Honours, Zoology

• MBA in Advertising and Marketing

• MBA in Advertising and Marketing