M. G. Radhakrishnan

Not to be confused with M. G. Ramachandran.
M.G. Radhakrishnan
എം. ജി. രാധാകൃഷ്ണന്‍

M.G. Radhakrishnan
Background information
Birth name Malabar Gopalan Nair Radhakrishnan
Born August 8, 1940(1940-08-08)
Haripad, Kerala, India
Died July 2, 2010(2010-07-02) (aged 69)
Genres Music Director, Carnatic music, Composer
Occupations Music Director
Years active 1978–2010

M. G. Radhakrishnan (Malayalam: എം. ജി. രാധാകൃഷ്ണന്‍; 8 August 1940 – 2 July 2010) was a senior music director and Carnatic vocalist from Kerala. He is highly regarded as one of the most successful light music and film music composer in Malayalam.

Contents

Personal life

M. G. Radhakrishnan was born on 8 August 1940 at Haripad, in Alappuzha district, Kerala as the son of music composer and Harmonist Malabar Gopalan Nair and Harikatha exponent Kamalakshi Amma.[1] He had his college education from the S. D. College, Alappuzha, and took Ganabhooshanam from Swati Tirunal Music Academy. Prominent singer K. J. Yesudas was one of his classmates there. His brother M. G. Sreekumar is a leading playback singer in Malayalam and Tamil cinema.[2] He died on July 2, 2010 in a private hospital due to liver disease.

Career

M. G. Radhakrishnan was a disciple of Sree Vidyadhiraja Hridayanjali,[3] an Indian ascetic, and composed music for the ascetic's lyrics,[3] which was sung by his younger sister Dr. K Omanakutty,[3] a Carnatic vocalist. In his official capacity, Radhakrishnan worked as a staff and become the senior music composer(grade 1) in Akashvani, Trivandrum. In 1962, he joined All India Radio as music composer. He used to conduct a 15-minute light music class through AIR, which made him music lovers' favourite.

He made his debut in cinema as a playback singer through "Unniganapathiye..." from Kallichellamma (1969), which had music composed by K. Raghavan. His famous songs as a vocalist include "Sharike Sharike" from Sharashayya, "Pallanayattin Theerathu" from Ningalenne Communst Aakki etc. Some of his notable concert performances were at N S S Headquarters at Changanassery and at Karrikkakom Chamundeswary Temple at Thiruvananthapuram. He then focussed at composing light music with most of them becoming big hits. Singers Sujatha, G. Venugopal etc. were first introduced through his non-filmy songs.

His debut film as a music director was G. Aravindan's Thampu (1978). The songs were fairly noticed, however the first notable work by M.G. was Thakara (1980). Songs from this film, Mouname Mouname and Kudayolam Bhoomi won him several accolades and fame. The other major works by him include Adwaitham, Devasuram, Manichithrathazhu, Rakkuyilin Rajasadassil and Ananthabhadram, which was his last work.

He has also composed the poems of Kamala Surayya, a famous Indian writer, through the album Surayya Padunnu[4] Radhakrishnan introduced K. S. Chithra, a singer and a student of Omanakutty, to the film and music industry by employing her in the film Attahaasam.[5][6]

Death

Radhakrishnan died from liver disease on 2 July 2010 at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.[7]

Awards

Kerala State Film Awards

Asianet Film Awards

Filmography

# Film Film director Year
1 Thampu G Aravindan 1978
2 Thakara Bharathan 1980
3 Aaravam Bharathan 1980
4 Njan Ekananu P Chandrasekhar 1982
5 Poochakkoru Mukkuthi Priyadarshan 1984
6 Parayanum Vayya Parayathirikkanum Vayya Priyadarshan 1985
7 Ayalvasi Oru Daridravasi Priyadarshan 1986
8 Geetham Saajan 1986
9 Sarvakalaashala Venu Nagavally 1987
10 Jaalakam Harikumar 1987
11 Nombarathi Poovu Padmarajan 1987
12 Vellanakalude Nadu Priyadarshan 1988
13 Advaitham Priyadarshan 1991
14 Manichithrathazhu Fazil 1993
15 Devaasuram I. V. Sasi 1993
16 Ammayane Satyam Balachandra Menon 1993
17 Kashmeeram Rajiv Anchal 1994
18 Agnidevan Venu Nagavally 1995
19 Rakthasakshikal Zindabad Venu Nagavally 1998
20 Stalin Sivadas T S Suresh Babu 1999
21 Kannezhuthi Pottumthottu T. K. Rajeev Kumar 1999
22 Pilots Rajiv Anchal 2000
23 Narasimham Shaji Kailas 2000
24 Praja Joshi 2001
25 Meghasandesham Rajasenan 2001
26 Nariman K Madhu 2001
27 Kaattu Vannu Vilichappol Kamal 2001
28 Achaneyanenikkishtam Suresh Krishna 2002
29 Yanam Sanjay Nambiar 2004
30 Ananthabhadram Santhosh Sivan 2005

References

  1. ^ "M.G. Radhakrishnan dead". The Hindu (The Hindu). 3 July 2010. http://www.hindu.com/2010/07/03/stories/2010070354500400.htm. Retrieved 3 July 2010. 
  2. ^ Singing from the soul; Saraswathy Nagarajan, The Hindu, 2005-06-24; Retrieved: 2007-09-03
  3. ^ a b c Chords & Notes; The Hindu, 2002-11-28; Retrieved: 2007-09-03
  4. ^ Poetic songs of Kamala Suraiyya; NJ Nair, The Hindu, 2005-06-10; Retrieved: 2007-09-03
  5. ^ K.S Chitra's Melodious Voice; Dhanyasree .M, One India Retrieved: 2007-09-03
  6. ^ A pleasant surprise; The Hindu, 2005-01-28; Retrieved: 2007-09-03
  7. ^ "Music director M G Radhakrishnan passes away". Oneindia. 3 July 2010. http://entertainment.oneindia.in/malayalam/top-stories/2010/mg-radhakrishnan-passes-away-030710.html. Retrieved 2010-07-05. 

External links

1969–1980

G. Devarajan (1969) · G. Devarajan (1970) · V. Dakshinamoorthy (1971) · G. Devarajan (1972) · K. Raghavan, M. B. Sreenivasan (1973) · M. S. Viswanathan (1974) · Bhaskar Chendra Varker (1975) · A. T. Ummer (1976) · K. Raghavan (1977) · M. B. Sreenivasan (1978) · None (1979) · Jerry Amaldev (1980)
1981–2000

M. B. Sreenivasan (1981) · Johnson (1982) · Shyam (1983) · Shyam (1984) · G. Devarajan (1985) · Bombay Ravi (1986) · Ouseppachan (1987) · Aravindan (1988) · Johnson (1989) · Perumbavoor G. Raveendranath, Jerry Amaldev (1990) · Raveendran (1991) · Bombay Ravi (1992) · S. P. Venkatesh (1993) · Berny-Ignatius (1994) · Ilaiyaraaja (1995) · Vidyasagar (1996) · Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri (1997) · Vidyasagar (1998) · Sunny Stephen (1999) · Vidyasagar (2000)
2001–present

M. G. Radhakrishnan (2001) · Raveendran (2002) · M. Jayachandran (2003) · M. Jayachandran (2004) · M. G. Radhakrishnan (2005) · Ramesh Narayan (2006) · M. Jayachandran (2007) · M. Jayachandran (2008) · Mohan Sithara (2009) · M. Jayachandran (2010) ·