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Gaana Maestro Deva Dies at 75 in Chennai
17 Oct
Summary
- Veteran Tamil music composer Deva passed away on Saturday, October 17.
- He was known for popularizing the gaana folk music genre in cinema.
- Deva composed music for over 400 films across multiple South Indian languages.
Tamil music composer Devanesan Chokkalingam, famously known as Deva, passed away on Saturday, October 17, in Chennai at the age of 75. The cause of his death has not yet been publicly disclosed.
Deva was renowned for his significant contribution to Tamil cinema, particularly for popularizing the gaana folk music genre among a broader audience. His innovative approach infused mainstream films with the distinct sounds of gaana.
His prolific career, spanning almost four decades, saw him compose for over 400 films in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, and Malayalam cinema. He also created the iconic theme music for Superstar Rajinikanth's title cards.
Deva's musical journey included training in piano and Indian classical music. He also composed numerous devotional albums and gained early experience with Doordarshan Podhigai.
Introduced to the film industry by his instrumentalist brothers, Sabesh and Murali, Deva made his debut in 1986 and soon established himself with films like 'Manasukketha Maharasa'.
