Amaal Mallik on being an anomaly: '80% of my hits are from flop films'
Synopsis
Amaal Mallik's admission that 80% of his biggest hits come from commercially failed films flips the conventional Bollywood music playbook. At 'Awarapan 2' promotions, he argued that great music outlasts bad box office — and that the streaming era's obsession with instant viral traction misses the point entirely.
Key Takeaways
Amaal Mallik described himself as 'an anomaly' in the music industry, saying 80% of his super hit songs are from commercially unsuccessful films.
He composed 'Yeh Awarapan' for the upcoming Emraan Hashmi -starrer 'Awarapan 2' .
Mallik cited only 5-6 hit films in his career, including 'Airlift' , 'Kapoor and Sons' , and 'MS Dhoni' .
He cautioned against measuring a song's value by instant viral metrics such as reels or streaming numbers.
Mallik said every song has its own timeline and that positioning and marketing are as critical as composition in India's visual music culture.
Music composer Amaal Mallik has described himself as an anomaly in the Hindi film music industry, saying that the bulk of his biggest hits have come from commercially unsuccessful films. Mallik made the remarks during promotions of the upcoming Emraan Hashmi-starrer 'Awarapan 2', for which he has composed the song 'Yeh Awarapan', at an event in the BKC area of Mumbai on 13 August.
The Anomaly He Owns
'I want to stand with the music. If you want to do good music, stand with me. If your film's budget is 5 rupees, it's fine, I am not looking for a movie with a budget of 500 rupees. I am not saying that if I get a chance in 'Ramayana', only then I will do something. I am an anomaly. 80% of my catalog of super hit music is from super flop films,' Mallik said.
He was candid about the shape of his filmography, noting that commercially successful outings came later and were fewer in number. 'I don't have only hit films. Later in life, 'Airlift', 'Kapoor and Sons', 'MS Dhoni', 'Golmaal', 'Badrinath' and other hit films came up. I have only 5-6 films,' he added.
Songs That Found Their Audience Late
Mallik also reflected on a pattern he has observed across his career — songs that fail to connect at the time of release but grow into listener favourites over time. He attributed this to a combination of timing, the film's marketing, and the visual medium through which Indian audiences primarily discover music.
'I believe that there is a timeline for every song. There is also fate. It also depends on the mood, energy, and with whom you make it,' he said. He pointed out that in India, audiences tend to watch a song before they listen to it, making the star cast and promotional push as consequential as the composition itself.
Pushing the Envelope With 'Awarapan 2'
Having previously delivered tracks such as 'Main Rahun Ya Na Rahun' and 'Bol Do Na Zara', Mallik said his collaboration with Emraan Hashmi on 'Awarapan 2' was a conscious attempt to stretch his creative range. 'This time, I wanted to push the envelope with Emraan Hashmi in 'Awarapan 2',' he said.
He also addressed the realities of the streaming era, noting that viral traction on short-video platforms is not a reliable measure of a song's worth. 'Today is not a time that you make a very good song, and it will be seen. So it will be seen slowly, but if you have instant gratification, tomorrow it will be 100 million, 500,000 reels, this cannot happen with every song,' he said, adding that each song requires deliberate positioning to find its audience.
What This Signals for 'Awarapan 2'
The film marks a return to the 'Awarapan' franchise, with Emraan Hashmi reprising his association with the title. Mallik's remarks suggest that the music for the sequel is being crafted with artistic ambition rather than commercial formula — a bet that, by his own admission, has paid off more often than not, even when the films themselves have not.
Point of View
What does that say about how the industry allocates creative budgets and promotional firepower? Mallik's career is a case study, but it is also an indictment.
NationPress
14 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Amaal Mallik and what is he known for?
Amaal Mallik is a Bollywood music composer known for songs such as 'Main Rahun Ya Na Rahun' and 'Bol Do Na Zara'. He has composed music for films including 'Airlift', 'Kapoor and Sons', and 'MS Dhoni: The Untold Story'.
What song has Amaal Mallik composed for 'Awarapan 2'?
Amaal Mallik has composed 'Yeh Awarapan' for the upcoming film 'Awarapan 2', which stars Emraan Hashmi. He described the collaboration as a deliberate attempt to push his creative boundaries.
Why does Amaal Mallik call himself an anomaly in the music industry?
Mallik says 80% of his biggest hits have come from films that failed commercially at the box office. He argues that he prioritises the quality of music over the commercial profile of a project, which sets him apart from industry norms.
What did Amaal Mallik say about songs going viral on reels?
Mallik cautioned that instant viral traction — such as 100 million views or 500,000 reels — is not achievable for every song and should not be the sole measure of a track's worth. He said some songs find their audience slowly, through streaming or word of mouth, and that proper positioning matters more than chasing trends.
What is 'Awarapan 2' and when is it releasing?
'Awarapan 2' is an upcoming Hindi film starring Emraan Hashmi. It is a follow-up to the original 'Awarapan' franchise. A specific release date was not confirmed during the promotional event on 13 August.
