Deva: a well-rounded composer bids goodbye

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In the 1990s, when Tamil film music largely reflected a duopoly vested with the established Ilaiyaraaja and the emerging A.R. Rahman, Deva stepped up and carved his own unique path. This was never easy, as Maragathamani and Vidyasagar were also trying to shape an identity for themselves.

Once Deva found his spotlight through Vaigasi Poranthachu in 1989, one of his early movies as a music composer, he turned prolific. There was an earthy twang to his notes, and he was the first to tap into the gaana form that was prevalent in the bylanes of north Madras.

Deva also specialised in peppy music that became part of Rajinikanth’s elevation zone in films like Annamalai and Baashha . The latter’s background score is spoken of even now, and the acoustic aura shadowing the superstar is something that is now innate to even modern-day musicians like Anirudh Ravichander.

During a concert, Deva played a scene from Baashha on the screen and, along with his orchestra, performed the background score as Rajini strode down the stairs. The montage references his character’s underworld past. This was aura-farming at its finest. Deva also collaborated with Kamal Haasan on Avvai Shanmugi , a hat tip to Mrs. Doubtfire .

But Deva wasn’t entirely about his music delivering the high punches and whipping out one kuthupaatu after the other. On his day, he could delve into melody that ages well. The 1995 flick Aasai is a case in point, with songs like Konja naal , Meenamma , and Pulveli pulveli still ruling the airwaves.

Deva also forged a kinship with singer Hariharan, who as a vocalist excelled with his songs in films like Nerukku Ner and Kushi. Be it Vijay or Ajith, Deva turned out musical hits for most leading stars as evident in films like Kadhal Kottai .

Like Ilaiyaraaja, Deva had a spiritual side to his persona, and it seeped into his music at times. Deva wasn’t just restricted to Tamil as he forayed into Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam.

His composition Viral thottal from the 2002 Mammootty film Phantom , is still hummed in Kerala. As he departs at 75, a distinct musical era concludes in the southern film industry.

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