Veteran Tamil composer Deva dies at 75 in Chennai

Tamil music composer Devanesan Chokkalingam, popularly known as Deva, died at a hospital in Chennai on Saturday, October 17. He was 75. The cause of his death has not yet been disclosed. Deva’s body will be kept at his residence in T Nagar, Chennai, for people to pay their last respects.

Known for bringing the sounds of gaana, a popular Tamil folk music genre, into mainstream cinema, Deva carved a distinct identity for himself in the Tamil film industry. His music helped popularise the genre among a wider audience, earning him recognition for his contribution to Tamil film music.

Over a career spanning nearly four decades, he composed songs and background scores for more than 400 films across Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam cinema. He even scored the iconic theme for Superstar Rajinikanth's title card, which is used in all his films.

His journey in the film industry began with a few early projects,



after which he briefly stepped away from cinema. During this period, he worked with Doordarshan Podhigai and composed songs for the programme Vayalum Vaazhvum. Deva trained in piano under Dhanraj Master, who also taught Ilaiyaraaja, and studied Indian classical music on the harmonium under J B Krishna. In the 1980s, he also composed devotional albums, creating hundreds of works in the genre.

Deva’s brothers, Sabesh and Murali, who worked as instrumentalists with Ilaiyaraaja and other music directors, played an important role in introducing him to the film industry. The composer often acknowledged their support and collaboration as crucial to his career.

He made his full-fledged debut as a composer in Tamil cinema with Mattukkara Mannaru in 1986. His first major film featuring established stars was Manasukketha Maharasa, released in 1989, followed by projects such as Vaigasi Poranthachu, which helped establish his presence in the industry.