Saleel Kulkarni


Saleel Kulkarni is a Marathi music composer, singer and author.

Early life

Saleel Kulkarni sang the Marathi Prose 'Jayostute ' on All India Radio, Pune station at the age of three. Thereafter, he undertook key lessons in singing and music from eminent personalities like Gangadharbuva Pimpalkhare, Jaymalabai Shiledar and Pramod Marathe. Formal education wise, Saleel is a medicine graduate and was working as a doctor in the early part of his career. While working as a music director for the last ten years, he has composed songs for Hindi and Marathi albums, serials and films.

Musical associations

As a singer, Saleel has rendered his voice for many composers for albums and shows. In the role of established music director, he had cast many singers to sing different genres of songs. Some of the artists that have sung/recorded for Saleel Kulkarni include Bela Shende, Shankar Mahadevan, Hariharan, Shreya Ghoshal, Sandeep Khare, Hrishikesh Ranade, Suvarna Mategaonkar, Shubha Joshi, Madhura Datar, Vibhavari Apte Joshi, Avadhoot Gupte. Saleel played Judge for competitive singing reality show "Sa Re Ga Ma Pa" on Zee Marathi where along with assessing the performances of participants, he mentored and nurtured many upcoming talented individuals. Saleel is an accomplished music composer and singer. He has also written columns in leading Marathi daily. He is author of a maiden book "Lapavalelya Kaacha"
Saleel runs a Music School in Pune.

Ayushyawar Bolu Kahi (आयुष्यावर बोलू काही) (Musical Program)

Saleel has teamed up with Sandip Khare, with a talented & popular poet from Pune for the show 'Ayushyawar Bolu Kahi'. Saleel was also a part of Marathi SaReGaMaPa as judge and mentor. Saleel has performed in musical concerts all over the world including UK, US, Singapore, Switzerland, and Shanghai. There have well over 1000 shows so far.

Maitra Jeevanche(Musical Program)

He is doing selected shows with veteran music director Hridaynath Mangeshkar for program 'Maitra Jeevanche'. After a long break of almost 12 years Lata Mangeshkar sang Marathi bhavgeeta when she recorded songs with him as a music director for the album "Kshan Amrutache".

Feature films

Album titleLanguageYearSingers
Anand PahatMarathi1999Saleel Kulkarni
Tarihi Vasant FulatoMarathi1999Saleel Kulkarni, Ravindra Sathe, Shrikant Pargaonkar
25 Chhan Chhan Baal GeeteMarathi1999Saleel Kulkarni and others
Ayushyawar Bolu KahiMarathi2003Sandeep Khare Saleel Kulkarni
NamanjoorMarathi2005Sandeep Khare Saleel Kulkarni
Dibadi DipangMarathi2007Sandeep Khare Saleel Kulkarni
Sang Sakhya ReMarathi2006Sandeep Khare Saleel Kulkarni
SandhiprakashatMarathi2008Saleel Kulkarni
Hrudayamadhale GaaneMarathi2009Bela Shende
Damalelya Babachi KahaniMarathi2010Sandeep Khare Saleel Kulkarni
Kshan MoharateMarathi2008Hrishikesh Ranade, Prajakta Ranade
Barase BadariyaMarathi2008Sawni Shende
Mazech Geet Mi GateMarathi2007Suvarna Mategaonkar
Mazya ManaMarathi2000Bela Shende
HaribhajanMarathi2007Sanjeev Abhyankar
Aggobai DhaggobaiMarathi2007Sandeep Khare, Saleel Kulkarni, Anjali Kulkarni
Aggobai Dhaggobai 2Marathi2011Sandeep Khare, Saleel Kulkarni, Anjali Kulkarni, Shubhankar Kulkarni
Kshana AmrutacheMarathi2013Saleel Kulkarni, Lata Mangeshkar
Ja Dile Man TulaMarathi2014Saleel Kulkarni, Sandeep Khare
Diva Lagu De Re DevaMarathi2015Aarya Ambekar
Guru, Sakha, Bandhu, MaaybaapMarathi2016Saleel Kulkarni

Stage shows

In 2010, Saleel Kulkarni had written a fortnightly column 'Musically Yours' for leading Marathi daily Loksatta. The articles got finishing touch, got some literature treatment by author and came out as his maiden book 'Lapawlelya Kacha'. Owing to insistent demands from Marathi readers all over the world, publication house 'Continental' produced 3rd & 4th edition of book.
Released his second book ‘ Shahanya manasanchi factory ‘ in 2017 and is been very received by the readers.

As TV show compere

Kulkarni conceived and thematically designed the concept for weekly show 'Madhali Sutti' being telecast on Zee Marathi. The show was about kids, their school life, memories from childhood and Saleel's swift but interesting take on school days.

As Director

Kulkarni directed his maiden venture Weeding Cha Cinema, which released on 12 April 2019. Dr. Saleel Kulkarni has also written the story and screenplay for the movie. Kulkarni has donned many hats for the movie and is credited as Director, Producer, Story Writer, Screenwriter, Dialogues writer and Music Composer.
The film was received well by the audiences.
He announced his second film named Ekada Kaay Jhale to be released in year 2020. He will be writing the movie as well as will compose music for it

Singles as Music Composer / Singer

Personal life

Saleel was married to National Award-winning singer Anjali Marathe, daughter of singer Anuradha Marathe. He has two children – son Shubhankar who sang for kids' movie 'Chintoo', and daughter Ananya. Saleel got separated and now is a single father and is a single parent who holds the custody of his kids.