Hesham Abdul Wahab
Indian music composer and producer (born 1990)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sayyed Hesham Abdul Wahab (born 14 October 1990) is an Indian music composer, music producer and singer who predominantly works in Malayalam and Telugu cinema.[1][2] He is best known for the compositions of Qadham Badha (2015),[3] Hridayam (2022), Kushi (2023) and Hi Nanna (2023). He is the recipient of a Kerala State Film Award, SIIMA Award, and IIFA Award for music direction.[4]
14 October 1990
- Music director
- music producer
- singer
- audio engineer
- mixing engineer
Hesham Abdul Wahab | |
|---|---|
Abdul Wahab in 2018 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Sayyed Hesham Abdul Wahab 14 October 1990 Alappuzha, India |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2007–present |
Spouse |
Ayshath Safa (m. 2018) |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | Keyboard, piano, vocals |
| Label | Think Music |
Early life
Sayyed Hesham Abdul Wahab hails from Alappuzha and was raised in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in a family of musicians.[5] His mother tongue is Malayalam, and his family traces its origins to Alappuzha.[6] He developed an interest in music at a young age and received professional training in Carnatic and Hindustani classical music. He began singing at the age of eight and was introduced to the piano at eleven.
After completing his schooling at the International Indian School in Riyadh, Wahab earned a diploma in audio engineering and a Bachelor of Arts degree in audio production from SAE Institute, graduating with top honors.[7]
Wahab married Ayshath Safa on 22 January 2018.
Career
Early career
Hesham left Saudi Arabia for India in 2007 to be part of the music reality show Idea Star Singer[8] which paved the way for his foray into playback singing and later composing.
Recording career
Wahab's first recording project was in 2013 with his first single Meri Dua[9] produced by Offline Creations. He got his first major break when Andante Records signed him for their record label. His first album Qadam Badha (Step Forward),[10] an amalgamation of Sufi music and World Music produced by eminent Iran-born British singer-songwriter Sami Yusuf was released in 2015.
Music composing
Wahab forayed into Malayalam film industry as a music director in 2013, with the film Salt Mango Tree.[11] His debut as a music composer for the Bollywood film[12] Mera India is set to release in 2019.[needs update] He has also worked with several noted composers and lent his voice to many Indian films. In 2018, his song Jaana Meri Janaa from the film Cappuccino fetched Vineeth Sreenivasan his second SIIMA Award for the Best Playback Singer in Malayalam.[13]
In 2018, Wahab founded LIVEwithMUSIC, an independent music academy where he takes classes on sound production.[14] Hesham arranged and mixed filmmaker Alphonse Puthren's debut composition Kathakal Chollidaam which was released as a music video featuring several Malayalam film actors and their children. He composed the soundtrack of Vineeth Sreenivasan's film Hridayam, which consists of 15 songs.[15] He has since composed music for other Malayalam films, including Madhura Manohara Moham (2023), and Sesham Mike-il Fathima (2023).
Wahab made his Telugu composing debut with the romantic comedy Kushi (2023) and went on to compose music for the Telugu romance films Hi Nanna (2023) and Manamey (2024).
In 2025, Wahab created the musical score for Kerala Crime Files: Season 2, the sequel to the popular Malayalam TV series. His work on the series was well received by critics and audiences alike.[16] Sajin Shrijith of The Week wrote that "Hesham Abdul Wahab's music evokes the necessary emotions in the right places without trying to force them out of us".[17] He also composed the soundtrack for the Malayalam film Samshayam directed by Rajesh Ravi.[18] The same year, it was announced that he would make his Kannada cinema composing debut for an untitled film directed by Srinivas Raju and starring Ganesh.[19]
In 2026, Wahab made his Hindi film debut with the romantic drama Do Deewane Seher Mein, for which he composed the song "Aasma Aasma".[20]
Discography
| Year | Title | Songs | Score | Language | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Salt Mango Tree | Yes | No | Malayalam | ||
| 2017 | Cappuccino | Yes | No | 5 songs | ||
| Pretham Undu Sookshikkuka | Yes | Yes | 4 songs | |||
| 2018 | Angane Njanum Premichu | Yes | Yes | 5 songs | ||
| Marubhoomiyile Mazhathullikal | Yes | Yes | 2 songs | |||
| 2019 | Mohabbathin Kunjabdulla | Yes | No | 2 songs | ||
| 2022 | Ole Kanda Naal | Yes | Yes | 3 songs | ||
| Varthamanam | Yes | No | 1 song | |||
| Aanaparambile World Cup | Yes | No | 1 song | |||
| Cabin | Yes | Yes | 2 songs | |||
| Chuzhal | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Madhuram | Yes | No | ||||
| 2022 | Hridayam | Yes | Yes | |||
| Mike | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Ini Utharam | Yes | Yes | ||||
| 2023 | Madhura Manohara Moham | Yes | Yes | [21] | ||
| Kushi | Yes | Yes | Telugu | [22] | ||
| Sesham Mike-il Fathima | Yes | Yes | Malayalam | [23] | ||
| Spark Life | Yes | Yes | Telugu | |||
| Philip's | Yes | Yes | Malayalam | |||
| Hi Nanna | Yes | Yes | Telugu | |||
| 2024 | Once Upon a Time in Kochi | Yes | Yes | Malayalam | [24] | |
| Manamey | Yes | Yes | Telugu | |||
| 2025 | Maaman | Yes | Yes | Tamil | [25] | |
| Samshayam | Yes | Yes | Malayalam | |||
| 8 Vasantalu | Yes | Yes | Telugu | [26] | ||
| The Girlfriend | Yes | No | [27] | |||
| 2026 | Do Deewane Seher Mein | Yes | No | Hindi | 1 song | |
| Lucky the Superstar | Yes | No | Tamil | |||
| Made in Korea | Yes | Yes | Tamil | [28] | ||
| Madhuvidhu | Yes | Yes | Malayalam | [29] | ||
| Epic - First Semester † | Yes | Yes | Telugu | [30] | ||
| TBA | Superhero † | Yes | Yes | Tamil | [31] | |
| TBA | Untitled Nani-Shouryuv film † | Yes | Yes | Telugu | [31] | |
| TBA | Brindavihaari † | Yes | Yes | Kannada | [32] | |
| TBA | Once More † | Yes | Yes | Tamil | [33] |
TV series
- Kerala Crime Files (2023–2025) (season 1–2)[34]
Studio albums
- Qadam Badha (2015)
Music videos
As playback singer
| Year | Song | Film/Album | Composer | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Panivizhum Kaalama | Pattalam | Jassie Gift | Tamil |
| 2011 | Kannerinjal[39] | Traffic | Mejo Joseph | Malayalam |
| Ladki | The Train | Sreenivas | ||
| Vidhuramee Yatra | Gaddama | Bennet–Veetraag | ||
| 2013 | Thaazhvaaram | Thira | Shaan Rahman | |
| 2014 | Mounam Chorum, Sneham Cherum | Ohm Shanthi Oshaana | Shaan Rahman | |
| 2015 | Jeevanil | Swargathekkal Sundaram | Rakesh Keshav | |
| Kattummel,Kanavil | Salt Mango Tree | Hesham Abdul Wahab | ||
| 2016 | Are Thu Chakkar | Valleem Thetti Pulleem Thetti | Sooraj S Kurup | |
| Ethu Meghamaari | Kochavva Paulo Ayyappa Coelho | Shaan Rahman | ||
| Pulkodiyil | Take Off | Shaan Rahman | ||
| 2017 | Thumbikal Thaalam Thullum | Chicken Kokkachi | Jassie Gift | |
| Ente Bharatham | Ente Bharatham | Binesh Mani | ||
| 2018 | Oru Thee Pole | Aadu 2 | Shaan Rahman | |
| Snehithano | Angane Njanum Premichu | Hesham Abdul Wahab | ||
| Swapnam Swargam | Padayottam | Prashant Pillai | ||
| Kannoram | Marubhoomiyile Mazhathullikal | Hesham Abdul Wahab | ||
| 2019 | Maahiya | Oru Adaar Love | Shaan Rahman | |
| Manushya Nee | Kalippu | Anaz Sainudeen | ||
| Safarnama | Muhabbathin Kunjabdulla | Hesham Abdul Wahab | ||
| Mere Maula | Pranaya Meenukalude Kadal | Shaan Rahman | ||
| 2021 | Zindagi | Varthamanam | Hesham Abdul Wahab | |
| Chollamo | Ole Kanda Naal | |||
| Darshana | Hridayam | |||
| 2022 | Kumkumamaake | Brahmāstra (Malayalam) | Pritam | |
| 2023 | Doore Oru Mukilin | Aromalinte Aadhyathe Pranayam | Charles Simon | |
| Na Roja Nuvve | Kushi | Hesham Abdul Wahab | Telugu | |
| En Rojaa Neeye | Tamil | |||
| Nanna Roja Neene | Kannada | |||
| En Rojaa Neeye | Malayalam | |||
| Kushi Title Song | Telugu | |||
| Hindi | ||||
| Yedhaki Oka Gaayam | Telugu | |||
| Gaaju Bomma | Hi Nanna | |||
| Idhe Idhe | ||||
| Kannaadi Kannaadi | Tamil | |||
| Anbe Anbe | ||||
| Magalalla | Kannada | |||
| Idhe Idhe | ||||
| Konjathe Konjathe | Malayalam | |||
| Penne Penne | ||||
| Sheeshe Ki Gudiya | Hi Papa | Hindi | ||
| Pehle Pehle | ||||
| Idhi Idhi Maaya | Spark L.I.F.E | Telugu | ||
| Gnapakaalu | ||||
| Thinkal Poovin | Pachuvum Athbutha Vilakkum | Justin Prabhakaran | Malayalam | |
| Ushaa Kiraname | Vela | Sam C. S. | ||
| Sadhaa | Philip's | Hesham Abdul Wahab | ||
| Niraye | ||||
| Ninne Kandannu | Qalb | Prakash Alex | ||
| Malarthan Vizhundhadhu | Aneethi | G. V. Prakash Kumar | Tamil | |
| 2024 | Njaanaalunna | Varshangalkku Shesham | Amrit Ramnath | Malayalam |
| Kande Njaan Aakashathoru | Once Upon a Time in Kochi | Hesham Abdul Wahab | ||
| Aazhithiramaala | Pushpaka Vimanam | Rahul Raj | ||
| 2025 | Andhamaa Andhamaa | 8 Vasantalu | Hesham Abdul Wahab | Telugu |
| Cheleya | Written and Directed by God | Shaan Rahman | Malayalam | |
| Naadaaya Naadaake, Orkkaathe Ullam | Samshayam | Hesham Abdul Wahab | ||
| Mari Mari | Santhana Prapthirasthu | Sunil Kashyap | Telugu | |
| Kannodili Kalanodili | 12A Railway Colony | Bheems Ceciroleo | ||
| 2025 | Dhoore Dhikkile | Dhurandhar (Malayalam) | Shashwat Sachdev | Malayalam |
As actor
| Year | Title | Role | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Varshangalkku Shesham | Playback Singer (cameo appearance) | Malayalam | |
Awards and nominations
- 2015 – Best Music Director – Kairali Cultural Forum Abu Dhabi – Short Film Festival[40] – Oru Vappichi Katha
- 2015 – Best Upcoming Music Composer of the Year – Mirchi Music Awards South[41] – Salt Mango Tree
- 2016 – Best Singer – Ramu Kariat Award[42] – "Kattummel" (Salt Mango Tree)
- 2021 – Kerala State Film Award for Best Music Director – Hridayam
- 2021 – Kerala Film Critics Association Award for Best Music Director – Hridayam[43]
- 2022 – Best Song – Mazhavil Music Awards – "Darshana" (Hridayam)[44]
- 2024 – Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Music Director – Telugu – Hi Nanna and Kushi
- 2024 – SIIMA Award for Best Music Director – Telugu – Hi Nanna and Kushi
- 2024 – IIFA Award for Best Music Director – Telugu – Hi Nanna[45]