Happy birthday, Mohit Suri:

Director-writer Mohit Suri has turned 42!In the 18 years that he has been in the film industry, Suri has created a separate niche of movies: All his projects are tied together by the same characteristics—a passionate love romance, an intense conflict, and sensational, evergreen music that acts as the film’s binding thread.On his birthday, we revisit some of his movies’ best soundtracks.

Zeher was Suri’s first film as a director and writer and starred Emraan Hashmi (who eventually became his frequent collaborator), Shamita Shetty, and Udita Goswami.The film boasted chartbuster music that has gloriously stood the test of time, with songs such as Agar Tum Mil Jao by Shreya Ghoshal and Woh Lamhe Woh Baatein by Atif Aslam cradling an entire generation.

Awarapan came out in 2007 and was reportedly inspired by the South Korean movie A Bittersweet Life.Shriya Saran played Hashmi’s love interest in this neo-noir action film revolving around Shivam Pandit, a gangster.Fan-favorite music composer Pritam scored the music, and songs such as Toh Phir Aao and Tera Mera Rishta by Mustafa Zahid and Mahiya by Suzanne D’ Mello were overnight sensations.

In Raaz: The Mystery Continues, Shaarib-Toshi, Pranay M Rijia, Raju Singh, and Gourov Dasgupta came together to compose soothing melodies, with lyrics by Kumaar and Sayeed Quadri.Zubeen Garg and Toshi Sabri’s Maahi, KK’s O Jaana, and Sonu Nigam, Neeraj Shridhar, Garg, and Ghoshal’s Soniyo are some tracks that dominate playlists even today.Great directors have ears for good music, and Suri proves it!

To talk about Hindi films with remarkable music and not mention Aditya Roy Kapur-Shraddha Kapoor’s Aashiqui 2 would be incorrect.Not only did it catapult the lead actors’ careers, but also gave Bollywood a lesson in how to integrate music into the film’s storyline.Who can forget Sun Raha Hai Na Tu, Hum Mar Jayenge, Tum Hi Ho, Bhula Dena, and Piya Aaye Na?

Suri’s latest offering, Ek Villain Returns, was the spiritual sequel to his 2014 hit film Ek Villain.EVR starred Arjun Kapoor, Tara Sutaria, Disha Patani, and John Abraham, with music by Ankit Tiwari, Tanishk Bagchi, and Kaushik-Guddu.While Galliyan Returns was an ode to the franchise’s signature theme Galliyan, Shaamat marked Sutaria’s singing debut.Shaamat also has another version sung solely by Tiwari.