By Ashraf Padanna/Thiruvananthapuram
Kerala’s legendary music composer K Raghavan, who remained active in the field for 50 years, died in a hospital in his hometown of Thalassery yesterday aged 99.
Recently, Raghavan composed the music for a song written by the late playwright K T Mohammed for superstar Mammootty’s latest film Balyakala Sakhi. The song was sung by another legend, K J Yesudas.
“He’s a guru for all of us. Four days back, I called him along with (singer K S) Chitra and wished him on his 100th birthday in advance,” said S Janaki, singer of many of his hit songs.
Raghavan Master, as he is popularly known, would have been 100 on December 2. His friends and fans were planning to organise a small musical event for him on the occasion.
Raghavan was unwell for some time and was admitted to the Co-operative Hospital in his hometown on Friday, family sources said. The end came at 4.20am yesterday.
“He will be remembered as a composer who freed Malayalam film music from the influence of other languages, which is his greatest contribution,” Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said.
A self-taught man, Raghavan drew on the abundant ballads of north Kerala, folk music and Mappila songs and the beat of performing traditions like ‘theyyam’ and ‘kolkkali’ of the Malabar region.
He shot to fame with the 1950s hit Neelakkuyil, a realistic movie directed jointly by Ramu Karyat and P Bhaskaran, which won the President’s silver medal. Raghavan sang one of the most popular songs in that film, set to the tune of Mappila songs.
Since then he rendered music for over 400 songs, for hit movies like
Nirmalyam,Utharayanam, Nagaramenandi, Unniyarcha, Ramanan and Kallichellamma.
“Raghavan Master stands out because almost all songs he composed are memorable on account of their charm and appeal for all class of listeners, connoisseurs or lay music lovers,” said film historian N Balagopal.
His partnership with lyricist and director P Bhaskaran generated scores of hits which helped many movies in the 1960s and 70s become blockbusters.
Raghavan himself had acknowledged in his memoirs that Bhaskaran, a colleague in All India Radio, had been a great influence on him and was instrumental in utilising his talent for cinema.
Raghavan Master: a legend
