Raveendran passed away
Eminent Malayalam film music Director M. Raveendran died at a private
hospital on Thursday 3rd March 2005,at 3pm, following breathing problems. He was
61.
Mr. Raveendran was born on 1944 November 9 at Kulathupuzha, Quilon as the 7th
child of Madhavan and Laxmi, his parents. From his early childhood he manifested
glimpses of his talents in music and soon joined Swathi Thirunal Music College
at Trivandrum after his primary schooling. He moved over to Chennai in 1966 to
try his luck as a singer and after some initial delays that he had to encounter,
Mr. Baburaj offered him a chance to sing in the Malayalam movie velliyazcha
(Friday). It was his first break and he had soon over 30 songs to his credit.
Aadikkalikkada Kochurama (Aromalunni), Priyathame Nee Premamritham (Lady’s
Hostel) were indeed the hits of the day. However, the enormous popularity
enjoyed by Jesudas sadly overshadowed his capabilities and soon chances for
singing in films were hard to come by. To make both ends meet he moved over to
the role of a dubbing artist and later on composed music for dramas. It was,
however, Jesudas who talked him in to being a music Director and provided him an
opportunity for the same. It was with Choola in 1979 that he showed his ability
as a music Director. (Tharake mizhayathil kaneerumai) was his first song as
music Director He composed a large number of Malayalam songs that were real hits
among the malayalees. He was credited with having composed over 300 songs for
Malayalam, Tamil and Kannada films. He was conferred the state award in 1991 for
composing music for Bharatham and this incidentally came in for special acclaim
by the jury at the National awards in New Delhi.
His music was always a real class apart. It was he alone who was in a position
to bring out the best in Jesudas, Jauyachasandran and Chitra, all accomplished
artists of the time.
A fusion of his innate strength in classical music and his prodigious natural
talents made him undoubtedly the best music Director to date that Kerala can
boast of. In the process he entertained his audience with a cache of enchanting
hits that no Malaylee would ever wish to forget.”Ezhu Swarangal” in Chiriyo
chiri, Rama kaganalayam in Bharatham, Pramadhavanam veendunm in His highness
Abdullah are all undoubtedly songs that proved his class.
His wife Shobana and sons Rajan Madhav and Naveen Madhav were at his bedside
when he breathed his last. His eldest son Sajan Madhav flew in from Hyderabad to
Chennai on hearing of his sad demise. Sajan is a music Director, Rajan an
assistant Director and Naveen also a music artist at Chennai. Shiny, Naveens’s
wife is presently employed in a private firm at Chennai.