Veteran Tamil film composer and singer Deva, popularly known as ‘Thenisai Thendral’, died in Chennai on Saturday, October 17. He was 75. According to reports, the composer was admitted to Surya Hospital at around 8.30 am, where he died. Further details regarding the circumstances of his death are awaited.
Born Devanesan Chokkalingam on November 20, 1950, Deva was one of the most prolific composers in Tamil cinema, with a career spanning more than three decades. He composed music for over 400 films across Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam cinema, in addition to an extensive body of devotional music.
Along with the likes of Ilaiyaraaja and A.R. Rahman, Deva reserves his place as one of Tamil cinema's greatest-ever composers.
Deva rose to prominence in Tamil cinema in the late 1980s and became a defining musical presence through the 1990s. His soundtracks for films such as Annamalai, Baashha, Aasai, Kadhal Kottai, Nerrukku Ner, Ninaithen Vandhai, Priyamudan, Vaalee and Kushi produced several popular songs that became closely associated with Tamil cinema of the period.
Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Vijay and Ajith were some of the leading Tamil stars whose films he routinely composed for.
In fact, Rajinikanth's 'Super Star Rajni' title card, which appears at the beginning of each of his films (including the recent Jailer 2), is still set to Deva's iconic score.
Another significant part of Deva’s legacy was his role in popularising gaana music in mainstream Tamil cinema. Drawing from the musical traditions of North Chennai, he incorporated the genre’s distinctive rhythms and earthy sensibilities into film soundtracks, helping a largely localised musical form reach a wider audience.
Deva was also a prolific singer who lent his voice to songs in his own films as well as those composed by other music directors. He maintained collaborative relationships with several musicians across the industry. In 2014, he sang a gaana number for Anirudh Ravichander’s Maan Karate. In 2023, he also collaborated with lyricist Alpha Something and game developer Visai Games on a song for the Tamil culture-inspired video game Venba.
He was also known for his immersive live concerts over the years, both domestically and abroad, and performed even earlier this year.
Deva's contributions earned him several honours, including the Tamil Nadu government’s Kalaimamani award, and the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Music Director for Aasai.
His musical legacy continues through his son, Srikanth Deva, who established himself as a film composer, and his brothers Sabesh and Murali, who also worked in the film music industry.