Saregama
{{Short description|Indian music record label}}
{{about|the music company|the musical notes in Indian music|Sargam (music)|musical reality TV show|Sa Re Ga Ma Pa}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{More citations needed|date=May 2025}}
{{Unreliable sources|date=May 2025}}
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Saregama India Ltd
| logo = Saregama logo.png
| former_name = {{plainlist|
- The Gramophone and Typewriter Ltd. (1901–1946)
- The Gramophone Co. (India) Ltd. (1946–1968)
- The Gramophone Company Of India Ltd. (1968–2000)
}}
| type = Public
| traded_as = {{Unbulleted list|{{BSE|532163}}|{{NSE|SAREGAMA}}}}
| foundation = {{start date and age|1901}}
| location_city = Kolkata, West Bengal
| location_country = India
| key_people = {{Unbulleted list||Avarna Jain (vice chairperson)|Vikram Mehra (managing director)}}
| industry = Music and entertainment
| services = {{plainlist|
}}
| products = Portable media players
| revenue = {{up}} {{INRConvert|817|c|lk=on}}
| revenue_year = 2024
| operating_income =
| net_income =
| num_employees =
| parent = The Gramophone Company Limited (1901–1931)
Electric and Musical Industries (1931–1985)
RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group (1985–present)
| subsid = Yoodlee Films
| module = {{Infobox YouTube personality|embed=yes
| channel_handle = SaregamaMusic
| channel_display_name = Saregama Music
| genre = {{flatlist|
}}
| subscribers = 55.1 million
| views = 27.1 billion
| years_active = 2013–present
| silver_button = y
| silver_year =
| gold_button = y
| gold_year =
| diamond_button = y
| diamond_year =
| ruby_button = y
| ruby_year =
| red_diamond_button =
| red_diamond_year =
| stats_update = May 16, 2025
}}
| website = {{URL|https://www.saregama.com/}}
}}
Saregama India Ltd is an Indian music record label and content company headquartered in Kolkata, West Bengal. It is the oldest music label in India, established in 1901 as the Indian branch of the British Gramophone Company. It later became a part of EMI, and for several decades, used the His Master's Voice (HMV) trademark on its releases.
In 1985, the company was acquired by the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group.{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/sports/new-ipl-teams-sanjiv-goenkas-new-rising-gets-pune-intex-gets-rajkot/articleshow/50089432.cms|title=New IPL teams: Sanjiv Goenka's New Rising gets Pune, Intex gets Rajkot|date=2018-12-09|work= The Economic Times|access-date=2018-03-23}} Although the HMV trademark continued to be used until 2003, the licensing agreement with EMI ended that year. Saregama also distributed EMI's international releases in India during this period.{{Cite news|url=https://factordaily.com/carvaan-saregama-data-music-radio/|title=How data is helping India's oldest music company Saregama revive its fortunes {{!}} FactorDaily|date=2017-06-14|work=FactorDaily|access-date=2018-03-23|language=en-US}}
The company is involved in music publishing, film production under the brand Yoodlee Films, and the creation of multi-language television content.{{Cite news |date=2017-11-21 |title=SaReGaMa's production house Yoodlee Film's to release BrijMohan Amar Rahe on 1st December 2017 |url=http://www.ibtimes.co.in/photos/saregamas-production-house-yoodlee-films-release-brijmohan-amar-rahe-1st-december-2017-14197-slide-77755 |access-date=2018-03-23 |work=International Business Times}} It also manufactures and sells Carvaan, a digital audio player pre-loaded with classic Indian music.{{cite news |title=Saregama Carvaan: A 5,000 song music directory |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/technology/saregama-carvaan-a-5-000-song-music-directory-117060901490_1.html |access-date=10 June 2017 |publisher=business standard}}
Saregama is listed on the NSE and the BSE. Besides its head office in Kolkata, it has regional offices in Mumbai, Chennai, and Delhi.
History
File:Gauhar Jaan.jpg, the first Indian artist to be recorded (1902)]]
In 1901, the company began operations as the first overseas branch of the Gramophone Company (later EMI from 1931), by recording the first song in India.{{Cite web|title=Saregama History|url=https://stock-financials.valuestocks.in/en/saregama-company-history|website=Value Stocks}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.moneycontrol.com/india/stockpricequote/media-entertainment/saregamaindia/SI67|title=Saregama India Ltd|date=2018-03-23|work= Money Control|access-date=2018-03-23}} It was incorporated in Calcutta (now Kolkata) as The Gramophone and Typewriter Ltd. The following year, Fred Gaisberg, assistant to gramophone record inventor Emile Berliner, arrived in India “on a mission to capture [its] music”. On 5 January 1902, Gauhar Jaan became the first Indian artist to be recorded. In 1907, a record manufacturing facility was established in Dum Dum, Calcutta — the first of its kind outside the United Kingdom.{{cite web |title=RPG Music: House of Music |url=http://www.indiaserver.com/saregama/hmvdoc.html |access-date=15 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970511180700/http://www.indiaserver.com/saregama/hmvdoc.html |archive-date=11 May 1997}}
On 13 August 1946, the company was incorporated as a private limited entity under the name The Gramophone Co. (India) Limited. It was converted into a public limited company on 28 October 1968, following which its name was changed to The Gramophone Company of India Limited.{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/saregama-india-ltd/infocompanyhistory/companyid-13704.cms|title=Saregama India Ltd.|date=2018-03-23|work= The Economic Times|access-date=2018-03-23}}
From 1909 to 2003, the company retailed its music products—records, cassettes, and compact discs—under the His Master's Voice (HMV) brand, using the iconic logo of a dog named Nipper listening to a gramophone.{{Cite news |date=2004-05-08 |title=Saregama plans to sell land in revival bid |work=The Hindu Business Line |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/05/08/stories/2004050802140200.htm |access-date=2018-03-23}} Even after EMI sold the company to the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group in 1985, Saregama continued to use the HMV name and symbol under a licensing agreement. This arrangement ended in 2003, when EMI divested the rights to the HMV trademark to the British retailer of the same name.
Saregama owns a music repertoire that spans film and non-film music, including Carnatic, Hindustani classical, devotional, folk, and other genres, in over 23 Indian languages.{{cite web |title=Saregama India Ltd. |url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/companies/saregama-india-ltd/ |website=Music Business Worldwide |access-date=16 May 2025}} The first song recorded in India—by Gauhar Jaan in 1902—and the soundtrack of the first Indian talkie film, Alam Ara (1931), were released under the label.{{cite news |title=Alam Ara turns 93 |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/alamara-turns-93-101710444542829.html |work=Hindustan Times |date=14 March 2024 |access-date=16 May 2025}}{{Cite news |title=Saregama India Ltd - Company History |url=https://www.business-standard.com/company/saregama-india-204/information/company-history |work=Business Standard}}
The company holds the rights to a growing number of films and over 6,000 hours of television content. It continues to expand its catalogue through new acquisitions across Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Punjabi, and other regional languages. Its music is distributed on music streaming services including Spotify, Gaana, YouTube Music, Hungama, Apple Music, and others; on over-the-top (OTT) video platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, JioHotstar, and ZEE5; and on social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.{{cite news |title=Facebook, Saregama ink global licensing deal |url=https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/facebook-saregama-ink-global-licensing-deal-11591159125284.html |access-date=16 May 2025 |work=Mint |date=27 May 2020}}
As of 2024, Saregama's catalogue includes over 150,000 tracks. The company also holds the rights to the complete catalogue of M. S. Subbulakshmi, the first vocalist to receive the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour.{{Cite news |title=Dr M S Subbulakshmi |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/dr-m-s-subbulakshmi |work=India Today}} Its catalogue includes devotional music across multiple faiths—such as Hindu, Sikh, Islamic, and Christian—as well as a diverse collection of regional folk music.
In 2023, the company launched Saregama Talent, a vertical focused on artist management and promotion.{{cite news |title=Saregama launches Saregama Talent |url=https://www.campaignindia.in/article/saregama-launches-saregama-talent/494137 |work=Campaign India |date=13 July 2023 |access-date=16 May 2025}} That same year, it acquired a majority stake in Pocket Aces Pictures Pvt. Ltd., a digital content and influencer marketing company behind brands like FilterCopy and Dice Media.{{cite news |title=Breaking: Saregama acquires majority stake in Pocket Aces for ₹127.47 crores |url=https://www.storyboard18.com/digital/breaking-saregama-acquires-majority-stake-in-pocket-aces-for-%E2%82%B9127-47-crores-60831.htm |work=Storyboard18 |date=29 September 2023 |access-date=16 May 2025}} Saregama also announced a plan to invest ₹1,000 crore over three years to acquire music content across multiple Indian languages.{{cite news |title=Saregama plans to invest ₹1,000 cr in music content in 3 years |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/saregama-plans-to-invest-1000-cr-in-music-content-in-3-years/article68222171.ece |work=The Hindu Business Line |date=19 February 2024 |access-date=16 May 2025}}
Saregama Carvaan
Saregama Carvaan is a portable digital music player launched by Saregama in 2017. It comes pre-loaded with a curated collection of 5,000 Hindi film songs, classical music, and devotional tracks from the company’s catalogue.{{Cite web|url=https://ibgnews.com/saregama-carvaan-journey-time-machine-digital-audio-player-pre-loaded-5000-retro-songs/|title=Saregama Carvaan a journey with the time machine: Digital audio player with pre-loaded 5000 retro songs|last=Munshi|first=Suman|date=2017-05-10|website=IBG News|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-25}} The device features built-in speakers and also supports FM/AM radio, USB, and Bluetooth connectivity.
Variants of Carvaan have been introduced in multiple regional languages, including Punjabi, Tamil, Bengali, and Marathi. The company has also released specialised versions such as Carvaan GO—a personal audio player pre-loaded with 3,000 Hindi songs—and Carvaan Mini Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, which includes audio recitations of the 700 verses of the Bhagavad Gita along with devotional bhajans.{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/gadgets/saregama-launches-portable-carvaan-go-speaker-with-3000-evergreen-songs-at-rs-3990-5678364/|title=Saregama launches portable Carvaan Go speaker with 3,000 evergreen songs at Rs 3,990|date=2019-04-16|website=The Indian Express|language=en-IN|access-date=2019-10-25}}{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/saregama-launches-carvaan-shrimad-bhagavad-gita-lata-jagjit-bhajans-in-playlist/articleshow/70957930.cms|title=Saregama launches Carvaan Shrimad Bhagavad Gita; Lata, Jagjit bhajans in playlist|date=2019-09-03|work=The Economic Times|access-date=2019-10-25}} In 2020, Saregama launched Carvaan Karaoke, which allows users to sing along with synchronised lyrics on screen.{{cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/technology/news/story/saregama-carvaan-karaoke-with-display-launched-in-india-price-starts-at-rs-19-990-1749929-2020-12-16|title=Saregama Carvaan Karaoke with display launched in India |work=India Today |access-date=2020-12-16}}
Yoodlee Films
{{main|Yoodlee Films}}
Yoodlee Films is the film production division of Saregama India, launched in 2017 and based in Mumbai. The studio focuses on content-driven cinema across languages and formats, with a strategy centred on digital-first releases. As of 2024, Yoodlee Films has produced 30 films, several of which have been released on platforms such as Netflix, JioHotstar, and ZEE5.
Its film Hamid won two National Film Awards at the 66th National Film Awards, including Best Feature Film in Urdu and Best Child Artist for Talha Arshad Reshi.{{cite news |title=National Awards 2019: Hamid wins Best Urdu Film, director Aijaz Khan says 'didn't expect award at all' |url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/national-awards-2019-hamid-wins-best-urdu-film-director-aijaz-khan-says-didnt-expect-award-at-all-7141411.html |work=Firstpost |date=10 August 2019 |access-date=16 May 2025}}{{cite news |title=Talha Arshad Reshi, winner of Best Child Actor, is clueless about his National Award |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/entertainment/regional-cinema-talha-arshad-reshi-winner-of-best-child-actor-is-clueless-about-his-national-award-deets-inside-541497 |work=India TV News |date=10 August 2019 |access-date=16 May 2025}} At the 67th National Film Awards, actor Naga Vishal received the award for Best Child Artist for his performance in K.D..{{cite news |title=Naga Vishal on winning National Award for Best Child Artist: I wasn't prepared for it |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/entertainment/celebrities/naga-vishal-on-winning-national-award-for-best-child-artist-i-wasn-t-prepared-for-it-693170 |work=India TV News |date=23 March 2021 |access-date=16 May 2025}} The studio’s early releases like Ajji and Noblemen were also recognised at international film festivals.{{cite news |title=Yoodlee Films' Ajji wins prestigious awards at international film festivals |url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/cmcm/yoodlee-films-ajji-wins-prestigious-awards-at-international-film-festivals |work=The Free Press Journal |access-date=16 May 2025}}{{cite news |title=Accolades for Yoodlee Films' Noblemen at New York Indian Film Festival |url=https://www.uniindia.com/~/accolades-for-yoodlee-films-noblemen-at-new-york-indian-film-festival/Entertainment/news/1234318.html |work=United News of India |access-date=16 May 2025}}
Film discography
=Hindi=
: {{note label|PhysicalOnly|P}}Physical distribution only
=Tamil=
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year ! Film |
| rowspan="2"|2000 |
| Alai Payuthey |
| 2001 |
| 2022 |
| rowspan="2"|2023 |
| Annapoorani: The Goddess of Food |
| rowspan="5"|2024 |
| Inga Naan Thaan Kingu |
| Teenz |
| Amaran |
| Kanguva |
| rowspan="1"|2025 |
=Malayalam=
{{incomplete list|section=yes|date=May 2025}}
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year ! Film |
| 2021 |
| rowspan=21 |2022 |
| Pathaam Valavu |
| Upacharapoorvam Gunda Jayan |
| Jo and Jo |
| Keedam |
| Priyan Ottathilanu |
| Ela Veezha Poonchira |
| Vamanan |
| Shefeekkinte Santhosham |
| My Name Is Azhakan |
| Chathuram |
| Padavettu |
| Kumari |
| Vivaha Avahanam |
| Romancham |
| Autorickshawkarante Bharya |
| Kaapa |
| Padachone Ingalu Katholi |
| The Teacher |
| Khedda |
| Bharatha Circus |
| rowspan=30| 2023 |
| Ayisha |
| Ntikkakkakkoru Premondarnn |
| Jawanum Mullapoovum |
| Vaathil |
| Momo in Dubai |
| Bullet Diaries |
| Pendulum |
| Kasargold |
| AT - Welcome to The Dark Side |
| Pookkaalam |
| Enkilum Chandrike |
| Bhagavan Dasante Ramarajyam |
| Khajuraaho Dreams |
| Neymar |
| Within Seconds |
| The Great Escape |
| Pappa |
| Njaanum Pinnoru Njaanum |
| Asthra |
| RDX |
| Padmini |
| Nadhikalil Sundari Yamuna |
| Antony |
| Mr. Hacker |
| Nadhikalil Sundari Yamuna |
| Little Miss Rawther |
| Philip's |
| Bandra |
| Kadhikan |
| rowspan=4| 2024 |
| Malaikottai Vaaliban |
| Thrayam |
| Pallotty 90's Kids |
=Gujarati=
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year ! Film |
| 2025 |
Television content
Saregama produces content for TV channels in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. The company has created many serials and shows.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/striking-a-new-note-saregama-moves-into-film-content-creation/article9407473.ece|title=Striking a new note, Saregama moves into film content creation|work=@businessline|access-date=2018-08-17|language=en}}
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year !Title !Channel !Language |
| 2001
|Soolam |
| 2002
|Velan |
| 2004
|My Dear Bhootham |
| 2005
|Raja Rajeswari |
| 2007-2008
|Vepilaikari |
| 2007-2012 |
| 2010-2012
|Pondadi Thevai |
| 2012-2019 |
| 2012-2014 |
| 2012-2017 |
| 2014–2022
|Chandralekha |
| 2018-2022
|Roja |
| 2019–Present |
| 2019-2020
|Roja |
| 2020-2024 |
| 2022–Present |
| 2022 - 2024 |
| 2024–Present
|Mangalyam Thanthunanena |
| 2024–Present |
| 2025–Present |
=Web series=
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [https://www.saregama.com/ Official Website]
{{Works by Saregama}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:1946 establishments in British India
Category:Companies listed on the National Stock Exchange of India
Category:Companies listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange
Category:Indian companies established in 1946